GDFir  OF 
Walter   W.    Bradley 


HANDBOOK  OF  COMPOSITION 

A   COMPENDIUM  OF   RULES 

REGARDING 

GOOD  ENGLISH,   GRAMMAR, 

SEIJTENCE  STRUCTURE,   PARAGRAPHING, 

MANUSCRIPT  ARRANGEMENT, 

PUNCTUATION,    SPELLING, 

ESSAY  WRITING,  AND 

LETTER  WRITING 


BY 
EDWIN   C.   WOOLLEY,  Ph.D. 

ASSISTANT    PROFESSOR   OF   ENGLISH   IN   THE 
UNIVERSITY    OF   WISCONSIN 


o>Ko 


D.   C.   HEATH   &   CO.,   PUBLISHERS 
BOSTON        NEW  YORK        CHICAGO 


Copyright,'  igoT/^^^^^. 
By  D.  C.   Heath  &  Ca 


ib6 


897 


I  WILL  not  be  negligent  to  put  you  always  In  remem- 
brance of  these  things,  though  ye  know  them.  Yea,  I 
think  it  meet  to  stir  you  up  by  putting  you  in  remembrance. 

—  II  Peter  i.  12,  13. 


PREFACE 

This  manual  is  designed  for  two  uses.  It  may  "be  used, 
first,  by  students  of  composition  for  reference,  at  the  direc- 
tion of  tiie  instructor,  in  case  of  errors  in  themes.  Second, 
it  may  be  used  for  independent  reference  by  persons  who 
have  writing  of  any  kind  to  do  and  who  want  occasional 
information  on  matters  of  good  usage,  grammar,  spelling, 
punctuation,  paragraphing,  manuscript-arrangement,  or  let- 
ter-writing. 

The  aim  of  the  book  is  not  scientific,  but  practical.  The 
purpose  is  to  make  clear  the  rules  in  regard  to  which  many 
people  make  mistakes.  No  material  has  been  put  into  the 
book  for  the  sake  of  formal  completeness.  Many  state- 
ments that  would  be  essential  to  a  treatise  designed  to 
exhaust  the  subjects  here  discussed  (a  treatise,  for  instance, 
on  grammar,  or  composition-structure,  or  punctuation) 
have  been  omitted  because  they  concern  matters  about 
which  the  persons  who  may  use  the  book  do  not  need  to  be 
told.  In  the  knowledge  and  the  observance  of  the  rules 
fixed  by  good  usage  and  suggested  by  common  sense  for 
the  expression  of  thoughts  in  English  and  the  representation 
of  them  on  paper,  there  are  many  widely  prevalent  deficien- 
cies, some  natural  enough,  some  very  odd,  but  all  shared 
by  many  people.  The  purpose  of  this  manual  is  simply  to 
help  correct  some  of  these  deficiencies. 

Some  of  the  rules  in  this  book,  making  no  mention  of 
exceptions,  modifications,  or  allowable  alternatives,  may 
perhaps  be  charged  with  being  dogmatic.  They  are  dog- 
matic—  purposely  so.  Suppose  a  youth,  astray  and  con- 
fused in  a  maze  of  city  streets,  asks  the  way  to  a  certain 
place.  If  one  enumerates  to  him  the  several  possible  routes, 
with  comments  and  admonitions  and  cautions  about  each, 
he  will  probably  continue  astray  and  confused.  If  one 
sends  him  peremptorily  on  one  route,  not  mentioning  per- 
missible deviations  or  equally  good  alternative  ways,  the 
iv 


PREFACE  V 

chance  is  much  greater  that  he  will  reach  his  destination. 
Likewise,  the  erring  composer  of  anarchic  discourse  can 
best  be  set  right  by  concise  and  simple  directions.  This  is 
one  reason  for  the  stringency  of  some  of  the  rules.  There 
is  another  reason  ;  let  me  use  another  parable  in  explaining 
it.  A  student  of  piano-playing  is  held  rigidly,  during  the 
early  period  of  his  study,  to  certain  rules  of  finger  move- 
ment. Those  rules  are  sometimes  varied  or  ignored  by 
musicians.  But  the  student,  in  order  to  progress  in  the  art, 
must  for  a  certain  time  treat  the  rules  as  stringent  and 
invariable  ;  the  variations  and  exceptions  are  studied  only 
at  a  later  stage  of  his  progress.  So,  in  acquiring  skill  in 
the  art  of  composition,  it  is  necessary  for  most  students  to 
observe  rigidly  and  invariably  rules  to  which  masters  of  the 
art  make  exceptions.  I  believe  that  Rules  63,  69,  78,  98, 
99,  112,  and  115)  for  example,  should  be  so  treated  by  most 
apprentices  in  composition. 

A  word  about  the  literary  obligations  I  have  incurred. 
So  far  as  concerns  my  indebtedness  to  that  great  common 
fund  of  grammatical  and  rhetorical  doctrine  on  which  he 
who  will  may  draw,  it  may  truly  be  said  of  me,  as  it  has 
been  said  of  Homer, 

**  What  he  thought  he  might  require 
He  went  and  took." 

To  individual  authors  I  may  owe  debts  of  which  I  am  not 
aware  ;  for  when  a  man  has  accumulated  a  store  of  thoughts, 
some  from  individual  writers,  some  from  many  writers  in 
common,  and  some,  perhaps,  from  his  own  psychic  pro- 
cesses, he  inevitably  forgets  the  source  of  many  elements 
of  the  mass.  I  know,  however,  that  my  thanks  are  due  to 
Professors  Adams  Sherman  Hill,  William  Dwight  Whitney, 
Alphonso  G.  Newcomer,  John  Duncan  Quackenbos,  Fred 
Newton  Scott,  and  Joseph  Villiers  Denney,  for  a  num- 
ber of  ideas  suggested  by  my  acquaintance  with  their 
works. 

I  gratefully  acknowledge  here  my  obligation  to  Professor 
Frank  Gaylord  Hubbard,  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin, 
and  to  Miss  Rose  M.  Kavana,  of  the  Medill  High  School  in 
Chicago,  who  gave  me  much  acute  and  valuable  criticism 


Vi  PREFACE 

during  the  preparation  of  the  manuscript ;  and  to  several 
gentlemen  (unknown  to  me)  who,  at  the  instance  of  the 
publishers,  suggested  some  much-needed  emendations  before 
the  book  went  to  press,  and  also  during  its  passage  through 
the  press.  Though  the  book  is  probably  not  what  Captain 
Costigan  would  call  a  "meritorious  performance,"  it  is  in 
many  respects  nearer  that  character  than  it  would  be  but 
for  the  generous  aid  of  these  known  and  unknown  counselors. 

E.  C.  W. 

Madison,  Wisconsin, 
October  15,  1901. 


TABLE   OF  CONTENTS- 


PAGE 

I     THE   COMPOSITION  OF  DISCOURSE     .         .        1 

Introductory;  The  Standard  of  Good  Usage         1 

Diction 3 

Improprieties 

3 

Barbarisms    . 

4 

Contractions  . 

4 

Misuses  of  pronouns 

5 

Rhetorical  ornament 

6 

Triteness  . 

6 

Affectation 

9 

Mixed  figures  of  speech    . 

11 

The  Structure  of  Sentences 

12 

Some  fundamental  errors 

12 

Grammatical  agreement 

14 

Matters  of  case 

16 

Adjectives  and  adverbs 

19 

Matters  of  voice     . 

20 

Matters  of  tense     . 

20 

Reference 

23 

Dangling  modifiers 

26 

Unity     . 

29 

Order  of  members . 

32 

Incorrect  omissions 

37 

Coordination . 

41 

Subordination 

47 

Parallelism     . 

49 

Logical  agreement 

53 

Negation 

64 

Redundance  . 

55 

Repetition  of  words 

56 

Euphony 

58 

Variety  . 

59 

1  For  detailed  synopsis  of  the  numbered  rules  and  of  the  exercises,  see 

pages  x-xx. 

vii 

Viii  TABLE   OF   CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The    Structure    of    Larger   Units    of    Dis- 
course       59 

Unity 59 

Organization 62 

Coherence 65 

IL    PUTTING  DISCOURSE   ON   PAPER        .         .  67 

Spelling 67 

Legibility 73 

Arrangement  of  Manuscript.         ...  77 

Pages 77 

Paragraphs 78 

Mechanical  marks  of  a  paragraph     .        .  78 

Division  of  a  composition  into  paragraphs  78 

Verse 85 

Extended  quotations 87 

Tabulated  lists 87 

Alterations  in  Manuscript    .         .         .         .88 

Punctuation 90 

The  period 90 

The  comma 90 

The  semicolon 95 

The  colon       .         .         .         .         .         .         .98 

The  question  mark 98 

The  dash 98 

Parenthesis  marks 100 

Brackets 101 

Quotation  marks 101 

The  apostrophe 106 

The  hyphen 107 

Miscellaneous  rules 107 

Syllabication 110 

Abbreviations  .......  112 

The  Representation  of  Numbers  .         .         .113 

Capitals .  116 

Italics 118 

in.     ANALYTICAL   OUTLINES       ....  121 

The  form  of  the  titles 121 

Numbering  and  arrangement  of  the  titles.         .  12) 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS  ix 

PAGB 

The  terms  Introduction,  Conclusion,  and  Body    122 

Over-minute  subdivision 122 

Certain  illogical  practices 123 

IV.     LETTER-WRITING 126 

Ordinary  letters  (written  in  the  first  person)    .  126 

Formal  notes  in  the  third  person       .         .        .  135 

Sundry  mechanical  directions  ....  137 

The  envelope 141 

V.     A  GLOSSARY  OF  MISCELLANEOUS  FAULTY 

EXPRESSIONS 143 

Appendix  A.  —  Exercises  for   breaking   certain    bad 

habits  in  writing  and  speaking  .  .  .  .173 
Exercises  chiefly  in  grammar  .  .  .  .173 
Exercises  chiefly  in  sentence-structure  .  .  180 
Exercises  chiefly  in  spelling  .  .  .  .  187 
Exercises  chiefly  in  punctuation  .  .  .  191 
Appendix  B. — A  grammatical  vocabulary,  explaining 
grammatical  and  other  technical  terms  used  in  this 

book 196 

Appendix  C.  —  A  list  of  words  that  are  often  mispro- 
nounced   219 

INDEX  ..        e        o        o        ....     227 


DETAILED  SY:N"0PSIS  OF  THE  NUMBERED 
RULES 

Kumbers  enclosed  in  parentheses  refer  to  rules 
I.  THE  COMPOSITION"  OF  DISCOURSE 

PAOB 

Good  Introductory  :  The  Standard  of  Good  Usage        ....       1 

Usage  The  true  standard ;  good  usage  defined  (1) 1 

False  standards \ 

Colloquial  usage  (3  a)  The  usage  of  recent  fiction  (3  d) 

Limited  usage  (3  6)  Usage  in  isolated  instances  (3  e) 

Newspaper  usage  (3  c) 

Means  of  learning  good  usage  (3) 3 

Inclusion  of  words  in  a  dictionary  not  decisive  (3,  note) 
Diction  Diction 3 

Errors  regarding  parts  of  speech  (improprieties)       ....        3 
The  general  rule  (4)  Adjectives  used  as  nouns  (4/) 

Nouns  used  as  verbs  (4  a)  Adjectives  used  as  adverbs  (4gr) 

Nouns  used  as  adverbs  (4  6)        Down  (4  It) 
Plenty  (4  c)  Per  cent.  (4  i) 

Them  (4  d)  Near  by  ( 4J) 

Verbs  used  as  nouns  (4  e) 
Unauthorized  formations  and  contractions  (barbarisms)  .        .        4 

Current  (5)  Extemporized  (6) 

The  contractions  don't,  isn't,  etc.  (7) 4 

Misuses  of  pronouns 5 

Indefinite  you  (8)  Intensives 

Indefinite  they  (9)  Misuse  in  general  (12) 

Indefinite  it  (10)  '•  Yourself  and  guests  "  (13) 

Indefinite  that  and  those  (11) 

Ehetorical  ornament 6 

Triteness 

Hackneyed  phrases  (14) 

Advice  on  literary  ornament  (14,  note) 
Hackneyed  quotations,  allusions,  and  proverbs  (16) 
Newspaper  mannerisms 

Nicknaming  states  and  cities  (10  a) 
Current  newspaper  rhetoric  (16  b) 
Straining  for  novelty  (16  c) 

Genuine  and  sham  humor  (16,  note) 
Affectation 

High-fiown  language  (17) 

Advice  regarding  plain  English  (17,  note) 
Poetic  diction  (18) 
The  historical  present  (19) 
Initials  and  blanks  for  names  and  dates  (20) 

Advantage  of  using  names  in  narration  (30,  note) 
"  We  "  and  "  the  writer  "  for  J  (31) 
The  editorial  we  (31) 
Mixed  figures  of  speech 

Incongruity  with  what  precedes  (33) 
Figures  not  carried  out  (33) 

Z 


SYNOPSIS   OF   NUMBERED   RULES  xi 

PAGE 

The  Structure  of  Sentences 12    Structure 

Some  fundamental  errors 12    ^^ 

Subordinate  elements  mistaken  for  sentences  (34)  Sentences 

Elements  without  construction  (35) 

Uncompleted  constructions  (26) 

Sentence  used  as  subject  or  predicate  complement  (27) 

^hen  or  where  clause  used  as  predicate  complement  (28) 

Grammatical  agreement ••14 

Subject  and  verb 
General  rule  (29) 

Subject  obscured  by  intervening  words  (29  a) 
Number  of  the  subject  not  affected  by  with^  etc.  (29  6) 
Subjects  joined  by  or  or  nor  (29  c) 
Verb  attracted  by  predicate  substantive  (30) 
Each^  every t  etc.  (31)  Method  of  correction  (38) 

Matters  of  case *       ,      \Q 

Subject  of  a  finite  verb 

General  rule  (33) 

Who  not  affected  by  he  says,  etc.  (33  a) 

Who  and  whoever  not  affected  by  preceding  words  (33  6) 
Predicate  substantive  with  a  finite  verb  (34) 
Subject  and  predicate  complement  of  an  infinitive  (35) 
Object  of  a  verb  or  a  preposition  (36)  Appositives  (37) 

A  -substantive  after  than  or  as  (38)  Than  whom  (38,  note) 

The  possessive  case 

Nouns  not  designating  persons  (39) 

Possessive  case  in  an  objective  sense  (40) 

Possessive  case  with  gerunds  (41) 

Adjectives  and  adverbs 19 

Expressions  analogous  to  It  looks  beautiful  (42) 
Expressions  analogous  to  Hold  it  steady  (43) 

Matters  of  voice •       ...      20 

Awkward  use  of  the  passive  voice  (44) 
Vague  use  of  the  passive  voice  (45) 

Matters  of  tense ,,20 

Shall  and  will 

Expectation  (46)  Interrogative  sentences  (48) 

Determination  (47)  Indirect  quotations  (49) 

Shall  and  should  in  contingent  statements  (50) 
Past  tense 

Undated  (51)  Misused  for  the  past-perfect  (52) 

Perfect  tense 

Perfect  infinitive  misused  for  present  (53) 

Perfect  conditional  misused  for  present  (53) 
Anachronous  participles  (54) 

Reference ..,,23 

Uncertain  or  ludicrous  reference  (55) 

Method  of  correction  (56) 
Weak  reference  of  this  and  thai  (57) 
Remote  reference  (58) 
Reference  to  a  word  not  prominent  (59) 
Reference  to  a  word  not  expressed  (60) 
Antecedent  in  parentheses  (61) 

Dangling  modifiers •       .        .      26 

Participles 

General  rule  (62) 

Participle  introducing  a  sentence  or  clause  (63) 
Method  of  correction  (64) 

Participle  preceded  by  thus  (65) 


Xll 


SYNOPSIS  OF  NUMBERED   RULES 


Gerund  phrases 

General  rule  (66) 

Gerund  phrase  introducing  a  sentence  or  clause  (67) 
Method  of  correction  (68) 
Elliptical  clauses 

General  rule  (69)  Method  of  correction  (70) 

Elliptical  clauses  in  titles  (71) 

Unity 29 

General  rule  (73) 
Unrelated  thoughts  (73) 

Unity  secured  by  recasting  (73,  note) 
Stringy  compound  sentences  (74) 
Straggling  sentences  (75) 

Unity  secured  in  a  long  sentence  by  good  organization  (75,  note) 
Change  of  the  point  of  view  in  a  sentence  (76) 

Order  of  parts 32 

Position  of  modifiers 

General  rule  (77) 

Position  of  the  adverbs  07ily,  almost,  etc.  (78) 

Misplaced  clauses  (79) 

Position  of  relative  clauses  (80) 

Squinting  modifiers  (81) 

Parenthetic  position  of  modifiers  (83) 

Position  of  therefore,  however ^  etc.  (83) 

Separation  of  coordinate  modifiers  (84) 

Split  infinitives  (85) 
Smooth  order 

Of  individual  sentences  (86) 

Of  consecutive  sentences  (87) 
Forcible  order 

Strong  close  (88) 

Ending  a  sentence  vfiih.  a  preposition  (88,  note) 

Climactic  order  (89) 

Incorrect  omissions 37 

Use  of  words  in  a  double  capacity 

Auxiharies  (90 a) 

To  be  used  as  both  principal  and  auxiliary  verb  (90  &) 

Principal  verbs  (90  c)  Other  modifiers  (90  e] 

Than  and  as  clauses  (90  d)  Nouns  (90/) 

To  (in  an  to,  in  regard  to,  etc.)  (90  g) 
Omission  of  articles  and  possessives  (91) 
Omission  of  prepositions  (92) 
Uncompleted  comparisons  (93) 

Coordination 41 

Ungrammatical  coordination 

(General  rule  (94) 

"And  which"  (95) 

Method  of  correction  (96) 
Illogical  coordination  (97) 

Advice  regarding  excessive  coordination  (97,  note) 
So,  then,  and  also  used  for  connecting  verbs  (98) 
The  so  habit  (99) 
Consecutive  huVs  and/or'«  (100) 

Method  of  correction  (101) 
Clearness  of  coordination 

General  rule  (103)  Repetition  of  prepositions  (103) 

Repetition  of  the  infinitive-sign  (104) 

Repetition  of  subordinating  conjunctions  (105) 

Subordination 47 

Overlapping  clauses  and  phrases  (106) 

Contrasted  with  coordinate  dependence  (107) 


SYNOPSIS   OF  NUMBERED   RULES  xiu 

Misuse  of  when  clauses  page 

General  rule  (108)  Structure 

Subordination  of  a  statement  of  principal  importance  (109)  ^f 

Upside-down  subordination  (110)  SpnfPTippa 

Parallelism 49 

General  rule  (111)  Correlatives  (118) 

Improper  use  of  parallelism 
Misleading  parallelism  (113) 
Junction  of  incongruous  substantives  (114) 
Dissimilar  elements  in  the  form  of  a  series  (116) 
Method  of  correction  (116) 

Logical  agreement  of  members 63 

General  rule  (117) 
Illogical  comparisons 

Other  or  else  in  a  than  or  as  clause 

When  necessary  (118)  When  incorrect  (119) 

The  of  phrase  limiting  a  superlative  (120) 

Negation 54 

Double  negative  (131) 

Incorrect  negation  with  hardly y  only^  etc.  (133) 

Eedundance 55 

Tautology  (133)  Pleonasm  (134)  Wordiness  (135) 

Repetition  of  words 56 

Kepetition  with  change  of  meaning  (136) 

Awkward  repetition  (137)  Method  of  correction  (138) 

Awkward  avoidance  of  repetition  (139) 

Straining  for  synonyms  (139,  note) 
Careless  repetition  of  the  conjunction  that  (130) 

Euphony 58 

Concurrence  of  like  sounds  (131) 
The  absolute  construction 

Absolute  pronouns  (133  a)  Latinistic  phrases  (133  6) 

Variety  (133) 59 

The  Structure  of  Larger  Units  of  Discourse      ....      59    Structure 

Unity  of  a  whole  composition 59    <5f 

General  rule  (134)  Larger 

A  short  essay  on  a  large  subject  (135)  Units 

Shifting  the  tense  in  narration  (136) 

Shifting  the  point  of  view  in  narration  (137) 

Shifting  the  tense  in  description  (138) 

Shifting  the  subject  by  varying  nouns  and  pronouns  (139) 

Organization 62 

General  principle:  classification  and  arrangement  of  material  (140) 

Parts  misplaced  (141) 

Unity  and  completeness  of  each  part  (143) 

Coherence 65 

At  the  beginning  of  a  composition  (143) 
Between  parts 

Distinct  introduction  of  a  new  part 
The  principle  (144) 

Means  of  marking  the  beginning  of  a  new  part 
Transition  sentences  and  paragraphs  (144  a) 
Connective  phrases  (144  6) 
Placing  key-words  at  the  beginning  (144  c) 
Introduction  of  a  statement  of  consequence  (145) 
Introduction  of  an  abatement  (146) 
Introduction  of  a  contrasting  part  (147) 
Introduction  of  a  contradictory  statement  (148) 


XIV 


SYNOPSIS   OF   NUMBERED   RULES 


II.   PUTTING  DISCOURSE  ON  PAPER 


Spelling 


PAG« 

.      6T 


Doubling  final  consonants 

General  rule  (149).     Application  to  verbs  (150) 
Dropping  final  e 

General  rule  (151).     Application  to  verbs  (153) 
Courageous,  noticeable,  and  analogous  derivatives  (163) 
Final  y  changed  to  i 

Nouns  (154).     Verbs  (155) 
Final  ie  changed  to  y  (156) 
Plurals  ending  in  8  and  en  (157) 
Present  third  singulars  ending  in  8  and  e8  (158) 
Receivey  believe,  etc.  (159) 
Principal  and  principle  (160) 
6>/tand  6>  (161) 

A  list  of  words  that  are  often  misspelled  (163) 
Incorrect  uniting  of  separate  words  (163) 
Incorrect  division  of  single  words  (164) 


Legibility 

Crowding 

Space  between  lines  (165).     Space  between  words  (166) 

Extra  space  after  periods,  semicolons,  etc.  (167) 

Crowding  marks  of  punctuation  (168) 

Crowding  at  the  bottom  of  a  page  (169) 
Gaps  between  letters  (170).     Oblique  position  of  and  (171) 
Dots  and  cross-strokes 

Neglect  (172).     Placing  at  random  (173) 

Ornamental  cross-strokes  (174) 
Shape  of  quotation  marks  and  apostrophes  (175) 
Shape  of  Roman  numbers  (176).    Conspicuous  ornament  (177) 

Arrangement  of  Manuscript 

The  manuscript  as  whole  (178) 

Unruled  pai)er.    Black  ink 
Only  one  side  of  paper  to  be  used 
Manuscript  not  to  be  rolled 

Pages    

Page-numbers  (179) 
Title 

Position  (180).     Space  below  (180) 
Margin 

At  the  top  (181).    At  the  left  side  (182) 

Paragraphs 

Mechanical  marks 
Indention 

Of  ordinary  paragraphs  (18.3) 
Of  numbered  paragrai>lis  (184) 
Irregiihir  indention  (185) 
Indention  in  the  midst  of  a  paragraph  (186) 
Incorrect  spacing-out  of  a  Hue  (187) 
Dlvisionof  a  composition  into  paragraphs  .... 

Paragraphing  as  an  aid  to  ck'antcss 
The  fundamental  i)rincii»lo  (188) 
Separation  of  distinct  ])arts 
General  rule  (189) 

Paragraphs  of  introduction  and  conclusion  (190) 
Paragraphs  of  transition  (191) 
Direct  quotations 


73 


7T 


78 


78 


SYNOPSIS   OF   NUMBERP:D   rules  XV 

PAGE 

General  rule  (193).     Dialogue  (193)  Arrange- 

Special  mechanical  directions  ment  of 

Indention  after  a  quotation  (194)  MaTui 

Indention  after  he  said  (195)  mauu- 

Groupingof  related  parts  script 

The  principle  (196) 

The  practical  rule :   improper  paragraphing  of  minute  parts 
(197) 
Paragraphing  in  accordance  with  change  of  topic 
The  principle  (198) 

Paragraphing  where  there  is  no  change  of  topic  (199) 
Paragraph  unity 

The  principle   300) 
The  practical  rule  (301) 
Paragraphing  for  emphasis  (303) 
Paragraphing  for  ease  in  reading 
Too  infrequent  paragraphing 
The  principle  (303) 
Practical  rules 

Entire  neglect  of  paragraphing  (304) 
Paragraphs  too  long  (305) 
Too  frequent  jiaragraphing 
The  principle  (306) 
Practical  rules 

Short  compositions  not  paragraphed  (307) 
General  caution  (308) 

Writing  verse 85 

Left-over  parts  of  lines  (309) 
Grouping  of  words  into  lines  (310) 
Setting  quoted  verse  apart  on  the  page  (311) 
Extended  quotations  of  prose;  set  apart  (313)        ....      87 

Tabulated  lists 87 

Indention  (313) 

Tabulated  matter  to  be  set  apart  on  the  page  (314) 

Altbrations  in  Manuscript 88    Altera- 

Insertion  (315).     Erasure  (316).    Transposition  (317)  tions  in 

Changes  in  paragraphing  Manu- 

New  paragraph  (318)  script 

Canceling  a  paragraph  division  (319) 

Punctuation 90    Punctua- 

The  period 90    tion 

Close  of  a  sentence  (330  a),  Abbreviations  (2306) 

The  comma .        .        .        .        • 90 

Direct  address  (331  a)  Parenthetic  members  (331  d5) 

Appositives  (331  h)  Geographical  names  (331  e) 

Absolute  phrases  (331  c)  Coordinate  clauses  i331/) 

Dependent  clauses  preceding  principal  clauses  (331  g) 

Distinct  pauses  (331  h) 

To  prevent  mistaken  junction  (331  i) 

Between  adjectives  (333) 

Before  the  conjunction  in  a  series  (333) 

Restrictive  and  non-restrictive  clauses  (334) 

With  interiections  (335)  Before  direct  quotations  (336) 

Unnecessary  use 

In  general  (337) 

Before  a  series  (338) 

Before  a  that  or  how  clause  (339) 
The  "  comma  fault  "  (330) 

The  semicolon 56 

Between  clauses  of  a  compound  sentence 


XVI  SYNOPSIS   OF   NUMBERED   RULES 

PAGB 

"When  no  connectives  are  used  (331  a) 
"With  the  adverbs  then,  there/ore,  etc.  (231  b) 
With  and,  but,  etc.,  in  certain  cases  (231  c) 
In  a  simple  or  complex  sentence 

Between  involved  members  that  are  coordinate  (231  d) 
Used  instead  of  a  comma,  to  prevent  obscurity  (231  e) 
Incorrect  use  in  place  of  a  comma  (232) 

The  colon  (233)  . 98 

The  question  mark 98 

After  a  direct,  not  an  indirect  question  (234) 
Use  and  misuse  with  parentheses  (235) 

The  dash 98 

Interruptions  (236  «).     With  a  comma  (236  6) 

With  parenthetic  matter  (236  c) 

Before  a  summarizing:  word  (236  d) 

Before  an  expression  having  the  etfect  of  an  afterthought  (236  e) 

Before  a  sentence-member  set  apart  on  the  page  (236/) 

Indiscriminate  use  in  place  of  commas,  periods,  etc.  (237) 

Parenthesis  marks 100 

Relative  position  of  other  marks  (238) 
Misuse  of  commas  in  addition  to  parenthesis  marks  (239) 
Misuse  of  parenthesis  marks  with  matter  not  parenthetic 
General  rule  (240) 
Incorrect  use  for  emphasis  (240  a) 
Incorrect  use  with  a  word  discussed  (240  6) 
Incorrect  use  with  a  literary  title  (240c> 
Incorrect  use  with  letters  and  symbols  (240  d) 
Incorrect  use  for  canceling  (240  e) 

Brackets  (241) 101 

Quotation  marks 101 

Use  with  quotations 

Direct,  not  indirect  quotations  (242) 
Incorrect  omission  (243) 

Incorrect  use  in  the  midst  of  a  quotation  (244) 
Relative  position  of  a  question  or  exclamation  mark 
The  question  or  exclamation  mark  first  (  245  a) 
The  quotation  mark  first  (245  b) 
No  comma  or  period  in  addition  (245  c) 
Quotations  within  quotations  (246) 
Quotations  of  several  paragraphs  (247) 
Use  with  technical  terms  (248) 

Omission  in  the  case  of  familiar  technical  terms  (248,  note> 
Use  for  apology  with  slang  and  nicknames 
General  rule  (249) 
Errors 

Good  English  mistaken  for  slang  (249  a') 
Inappropriate  apology  in  a  humorous  context  (249 6) 
Nicknames  that  are  virtually  proper  names  (249  c) 
Sundry  misuses 

With  the  title  at  the  head  of  a  composition  (260  a) 
With  proper  names  (250  6) 
With  proverbial  i)hrases  (250 c) 
With  words  coined  extempore  (250  ei) 
•   For  emphasis  (250  e') 
For  labeling  humor  (250/) 
Without  any  reason  (250  g) 

The  apostrophe lOfi 

Possessive  case 

General  rule  (251) 
Nouns  ending  in  />•  (252) 
Misuse  with  the  adjectives  its,  yours,  etc.  (253) 
Use  and  misuse  with  contractions  (254) 
Use  and  misuse  in  forming  plurals  (255) 


SYNOPSIS   OF  NUMBERED    RULES 


XVU 


The  hyphen 107 

With  compound  words 

Words  that  should  not  be  hyphened  (356) 
To-day,  to-morrow,  etc.  (357) 
In  word-breaking  ;  correct  position  of  the  hyphen  (258) 

Miscellaneous  rules  of  punctuation 107 

Punctuation  with  such  as  (359) 

Punctuation  with  namely,  me.,  e.g.,  that  is,  and  i.e.  (360) 
Quotations  with  said  he  interpolated 
Said  he  excluded  (361  a) 

Marks  after  the  words  preceding  said  he  (361  b) 
Marks  after  said  he 

When  to  use  a  period  (361  c) 
When  to  use  a  semicolon  (361  d) 
Comma  in  all  other  cases  (361  e) 
Capitalizing 

Said  he  not  capitalized  (361/) 

When  to  capitalize  the  part  following  said  he  (361  fif) 
Marks  not  to  be  placed  at  the  beginning  of  a  line  (363) 


Punctua- 
tion 


Syllabication 


lie 


Division  in  accordance  with  pronunciation  (363  a) 

Prefixes  (363  b).    Suffixes  (363  c) 

Doubled  consonants  (363 <i) 

The  digraphs  th,  ng,  ch,  sh,  etc.  (363  e) 

Final  le  not  to  be  set  apart  by  itself  (363  / ) 

Monosyllables  (364) 

A  syllable  of  one  letter  not  to  be  set  apart  (365) 

Too  frequent  word-breaking  to  be  avoided  (366) 


Abbreviations 


Inelegant  in  general  (367) 

Abbreviations  that  are  proper  only  in  certain  connections  (368) 

Abbreviation  of  the  titles  of  persons  (369) 


112 


113 


The  Representation  of  Numbers 

Dates,  folios  etc.,  and  house  numbers  (370) 
Sums  of  money 

The  sign  $  not  to  be  used  for  sums  less  than  a  dollar  (371  a) 
The  expression  *'  .00  "  not  to  be  used  (371  b) 
A  sum  in  dollars  and  cents  — the  sign  $  and  figures  (371  c) 
A  sum  in  even  dollars  or  a  sum  in  cents 

Such  sums  occurring  frequently  —  figures  for  all  (371  d) 
Isolated  mention  of  such  a  sum 
A  sum  in  cents  to  be  spelled  out  (371  e) 
A  sum  in  even  dollars 

A  number  expressed  in  one  or  two  words  to  be  spelled  out 

(371/) 
A  number  requiring  more  than  two  words  —  figures  (371/) 
Other  numbers 

Numbers  occurring  frequently  —  figures  (373  a) 
Numbers  isolated  or  few 

Numbers  expressed  in  one  or  two  words  to  be  spelled  out  (373  6) 
Numbers  requiring  more  than  two  words  —  figures  (373  b) 
Ages  and  hours  of  the  day  to  be  spelled  out  (373) 
Parenthetic  repetition  of  numbers 

Improper  in  literary  compositions  (374) 
Position  of  the  parenthesis  when  it  is  used  (374) 


Syllabica- 
tion 


Abbrevia- 
cions 


Represen- 
tation of 
Numbers 


Capitals    .        .        .        . 
Proper  names 

General  rule  (375) 


116   Capitals 


xviii        SYNOPSIS  OF   NUMBERED   RULES 

«  PAGB 

Names  of  months  and  of  days  of  the  week  (375) 

Names  of  seasons  excepted  (375  a) 

North,  fioutji,  etc.  (275  6) 
Titles  of  persons  (376) 

Common-noun  elements  of  proper  names  (377) 
Words  of  race  or  language  (378) 
"Words  In  literary  titles  (379) 
Beginning  of  a  sentence  or  quotation  (380) 

A  quotation  that  is  not  a  sentence  (380) 
Beginning  of  lines  of  poetry  (381) 
Misuses 

Use  after  a  semicolon  (383) 

Use  without  good  reason  (383) 

Italics 118 

Eepresentation  of  italics  in  manuscript  (384) 
Titles  of  literary  and  artistic  productions 
General  rule  (385) 
Titles  beginning  with  the 

Incorrect  omission  or  exclusion  of  the  (386) 
The  correctly  excluded  from  titles  of  periodicals  (387) 
Names  of  ships  (388).     Words  discussed  (389);    Foreign  words  (390) 
Use  and  misuse  of  italics  for  emphasis  (391) 
Improper  use  for  labeling  humor  or  irony  (393) 


III.   ANALYTICAL  OUTLINES 

Analytical    form  op  Titles  (393) 121 

Outlines       ^-r                        *                          m  ^n^ 

Numbering  and  Arrangement  of  Titles 121 

Correct  method  (394) 

Irregular  alignment  of  titles  (395) 

The  Titles  Introduction,  Conclusion,  and  Body  or  Diacusaion     .    122 
Misuse  of /Tt^rocZwc^iow  and  Conclusion  (396) 
Body  or  Discussion  not  to  be  used  (397) 

Over-minute  subdivision  (398) 122 


Certain  Illogical  Practices 

Part  of  a  title  written  like  a  subtitle  (399) 

Second  or  third  subtitle  written  as  if  it  were  the  lirst  (300) 

A  coordinate  title  written  like  a  subtitle  (301) 

A  subtitle  written  like  a  coordinate  title  (303) 

Main  title  written  as  if  it  were  the  first  subtitle  (303) 


123 


IV.   LETTER-WRITING 

Ordinary  Letters  (in  the  first  person) 126 

The  heading 126 

Definition  (304) 

The  address  to  precede  the  date  (304) 
The  address 

Insufficient  address  (305) 

Street  direction  to  precede  name  of  city  (306) 

House  numbers 

To  be  written  in  Arabic  figures  (307) 

Not  to  be  preceded  by  the  sign  ^,  etc.  (307) 

Numbers  of  streets:  those  less  than  one  hundred  to  be  spelled  out 
(308) 


SYNOPSIS   OF   NUMBERED   RULES  XlX 

PAGE 

Incorrect  omission  of  Street  (309)  Letters  in 

The  date  the  first 

Name,  not  number,  of  the  month  (310)  person 

Complete  number  of  the  year  (310) 

Numbers  not  to  be  spelled  out  (311) 

Terminations  nd,  at,  rd,  and  th  not  to  be  used  (313) 
Abbreviations  not  to  be  used  (313) 
Position  of  the  entire  heading 

Grouping  of  the  heading  into  lines  (314) 

Position  in  the  letter 
Correct  position  (315) 
Separation  or  repetition  of  members  (316) 

The  salutation 329 

In  business  letters 

Correct  forms  (317).     Misuse  of  Messrs.  (318) 
In  letters  of  friendship 

Correct  forms  (319) 

"  Dear  friend,"  "  Friend  John,"  etc.  (330) 
Incorrect  use  of  a  name  in  place  of  the  salutation  (321) 
Abbreviations  not  to  be  used  (323) 
Punctuation  (333).     Position  (334) 

The  complimentary  close •    ISd 

In  business  letters  (335) 

In  letters  of  friendship  (336) 

Vulgar  closes  (337) 

Position  and  punctuation  (338) 

Position  of  preceding  words  (339) 

The  inside  address «    131 

Essential  to  a  complete  letter  (330) 

Omission  of  street  directions  permissible  (331) 

Incorrect  use  of  a  name  without  an  address  (333) 

Improper  omission  of  the  addressee's  title  (333) 

Abbreviations  not  to  be  used  (333) 

Position 

In  commercial  letters  :  at  the  beginning  (334) 

In  other  letters  :  at  the  end  (334) 

Literary  style 188 

Certain  vulgarisms  common  in  letters 

Elhpsis  (335a).     "  Yours,"  "your  favor"  (3356) 

"  Yours  received,"  "  yours  at  hand  "  (335  c) 

"  In  reply  would  say  "  (335  d) 

"  I  would  sav  "  or  '"'  will  say  "  or  "  can  say  "  (335  e) 

*'  Same  "  (335/;.    "  Please  "  (335gr) 

"  Please  find  enclosed  "  (335  h) 

"($10)  ten  dollars  "  (335  i) 

Abbreviation  of  the  name  of  a  city  (335 J) 

Participial  closes  and  "  and  oblige ' '  (335  k) 
The  use  of  the  pronoun  / 

Permissible  at  the  beginning  of  a  letter  (336) 

Monotonous  use  (337) 

Method  of  avoiding  this  fault  (337) 

Formal  Notes  in  the  Third  Person 135  Formal 

No  heading,  salutation,  compUmentary  close,  inside  addreBS,  or  signa-  notes  in 

ture  (338)  the  third 

Consistent  use  of  the  third  person  (338)  person 
Abbreviations  not  to  be  used  (338) 
Numbers  to  be  spelled  out  (338) 

Bttndry  Mechanical  Directions ,        ,    187 

Writing  materials 

Ink  (339),  Paper  (340) 


XX 


SYNOPSIS   OF   THE   EXERCISES 


Sundry 
mechani- 
cal direc- 
tious 


PAQK 

Form  of  paper  (340) 

Four-page  sheets.     Flat  sheets 
Quality  of  paper  (340) 

No  ruling.     Texture  and  color 
Arrangement  of  matter  on  pages  (341) 
Margin  at  top.    Margin  at  left 
Legibility,    Paragraphing 
The  order  in  which  to  use  the  pages 

Flat  sheets  (342).    Four-page  sheets  (343) 
Folding  and  enclosing 
Four-page  sheets  (344) 
Flat  sheets 

Small-sized  sheets  (345) 
Sheets  of  full  commercial  size  (346) 
The  fundamental  principle  underlying  Rules  344-346  (347) 

141 


The  Envelope 

The  superscription 

Sundry  directions  (348). 
Aflfixing  the  stamp  (350) 


Punctuation  (349) 


DETAILED  SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  EXERCISES 


Exercises  chiefly  in  Grammar 


173 


Grammar    !>  ^I-  ^^V  ^^^  ^*^ 

III,  IV.   Raise  and  rise 
Y-VII.  Set&wAsit 
YIII.   Lay,  lie,  raise,  rise^   set, 
and  sit 

IX.  Done  and  seen 

X.  Wrote,  rose,  rode,  drove 

XI.  Ru7i  misused  for  ran 

XII.  Began,       sang,       sprang, 
rang,  dranJc,  ran 

XIII.  Broke,  froze,  tore 

XIV.  Know,  throw,  blow 

XV.  Went  for  gone 
XYI.XYII.  "Had  ought »» 


XVIII.  "  You  was  " 

XIX.  Agreement   of   verbs    with 
subjects 

XX.  Concord  of  ^ac^,  every,  etc. 

XXI.  XXII.    Who  or  ichom 

XXIII.  Pronouns  after  t}ia7i  and 
as 

XXIV.  General  exercise  in  deter- 
mining case-forms 

XXV.  Adjectives      misused      for 
adverbs 

XXVI.  Misuse  of  ^i^e 

XXVII.  Shall  &u^  will 


Exercise  chiefly  in  Sentence  Structure 


180 


XXYIII.    Reference  of  pronouns 

XXIX.  Dangling  participles 

XXX.  Dangling  gerund  phrases 

XXXI.  Dangling  elliptical  clauses 

XXXII.  Order  of  sentence-mem- 
bers 

XXXIII.  YosiiXonoi only , almost, 
e/cer 

XXXIY.   Split  infinitives 
XXXY.   Correlatives 
XXXYI.   False  coordination 


XXXVII.    Practice      in     securing 

varietv  of  subordination 
XXXVill.   The  «o  habit 
XXXIX.    Parallelism 
XL.   Organization  of  long  sentences 

by  means  of  parallelism 
XL  I.   False  parallelism 
XLII.   Logical  agreement 
XLIII.   Double  negative 
XLIV.   Incorrect     negation     with 

hardly,  only,  etc. 


Exercises  chiefly  in  Spbllino 


187 


Spelling         XLY,  XLYI.    Doubling  final  con- 
sonants 
XLYII.  Dropping  final  e.    Deriva- 
tives other  than  verb-forms 


XLYI II.    Dropping  final  e  before 

ing 
XLIX.     Courageous,  noticeable^ 

and  analogous  derivatives 


SYNOPSIS   OF   THE   EXERCISES 


XXI 


L.  Change  of  y  to  *  as  in  city, 
cities 

LI.  Change  of  y  to  i  as  in  rely, 
relies 

LI  I.  Change  of  ie  to  y  as  in  lie, 
lying 

LIU.    Plurals  ending  in  «  and  ea 

LIV.  Present  third  singulars  end- 
ing in  8  and  es 

LV.  "  Finaly  "  and  analogous  mis- 
spellings 

LVI.  "Accidently,"  "occasionly," 
and  analogous  misspellings 

LVI  I.   The  endings  ^e  and  e^ 

LVIII.   The  adjective  ending/w? 

LIX.   The  adjective  ending  ous 


LX.   The  adverb  prefix  al 
LXI.   Receive^  believe,  etc. 
LXII.     Disappear    and 

point 

LXIII.  Professor  ^professions  %\x.. 
LXIV.   Precede,  proceed,  eta. 
LXV.   Business 
LXVI.   Lose  and  loose 
LXVII.   Lead  and  led 
LXVIII.    To,  too,  two 
LXIX.  Accept  SiX\^  except 
LXX.  Affect  and  effect 
LXXI,   LXXII.     Principal  and 

principle 
LXXI  1 1.  Admse,  advice,  devise, 

device 


Spelling 


Exercises  chiefly  in  Punctuation 


191    Punctua- 


LXXIV.  The  "comma  fault" 
and  the  confounding  of  subordi- 
nate elements  with  sentences 

LXXV.  Restrictive  and  non-re- 
strictive clauses 

LXX  VI.  Misuse  of  commas  before 
80,  then,  etc. 


LXXVII.  General  exercise  in 
punctuation 

LXXVIII.  Capitalizing  words  of 
race  or  language 

LXXIX.  General  exercise  in  spell- 
ing, punctuating,  capitalizing, 
italicizing,  and  paragraphing 


tion 


HANDBOOK   OF   COMPOSITION 

I.   THE   COMPOSITION   OF   DISCOURSE 
The  Standard  of  Good  Usage 

1.  English  discourse  employing  words  generally  ap- 
proved by  good  usage,  and  employing  them  in  the  senses 
and  in  the  grammatical  functions  and  combinations  gen- 
erally approved  by  good  usage,  is  called  good  English. 
English  discourse  employing  words  not  generally  approved 
by  good  usage,  or  employing  words  in  senses  and  in  gram- 
matical functions  and  combinations  not  generally  approved 

by  good  usage,  is  called  bad  English,     By  good  usage  is  Good 
meant  the  usage  generally  observed  in  the  writings  of  the   defined 
best  English  authors  and  in  the  speech  of  well-educated 
people. 

2.  Regarding  questions  of  good  or  bad  English,  there  Mistaken 
are  several  common  errors :  standards; 

(a)  The  supposition  that  an  expression  current  in  Colloquial 
common   conversation   is    thereby  proved    to    be    good  ^^^S® 
English.     If  currency  in  common  conversation   were  a 

valid  test,  such  expressions  as  "  ain't,"  "  I  says,"  "  them 
fellows,"  "he  laid  down,"  "you  hadn't  ought,"  and  "has 
went "  would  be  good  English. 

(b)  The  supposition  that  the  usage  of  a  number  of  Limited 
well-educated   persons    with   whom    one    is    acquainted  ^^^se 
proves  whether  or  not  an  expression  is  good  English. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  (as  the  foregoing  defini- 
tion of  good  usage  implies)  the  true  standard  is  the 
1 


THE  STANDARD  OF  GOOD  USAGE 


Newspa- 
per usage 


The  usage 
of  recent 
fiction 


usage  in  which  the  majority  of  well-educated  people, 
including  the  writers  of  undisputed  literary  merit,  agree  ; 
not  the  usage  of  a  relatively  small  number  of  well-educated 
persons.  Some  well-educated  people  say  "  he  don't "  and 
"proven";  but  these  expressions  are  none  the  less  bad 
English,  for  the  majority  of  well-educated  people,  includ- 
ing the  writers  of  good  literature,  reject  them. 

(c)  The  supposition  that  an  expression  current  in  the 
newspapers  is  thereby  proved  to  be  good  English.  Our 
newspapers  are  almost  universally  characterized  by 
provincial  and  vulgar  diction.  (There  are  a  few  honor- 
able exceptions.)  An  expression  like  "  Rev.  Clifford  has 
proven  himself  a  hustler"  is  no  more  justified  by  the 
wide  currency  of  similar  expressions  in  the  newspapers 
than  "  has  went "  is  justified  by  wide  currency  in  conver- 
sation. General  newspaper  usage  has  nothing  whatever 
to  do  with  good  English  usage.  (Cf.  Rule  16  and  the 
note  to  Rule  129.) 

(d)  The  supposition  that  the  employment  of  an 
expression  by  recent  writers  of  popular  fiction  proves 
that  the  expression  is  good  English.  A  writer  does  not, 
merely  by  being  popular,  take  rank  among  the  best 
English  authors ;  such  rank  can  be  taken  only  upon  the 
general  judgment  of  scholars  and  critics,  as  well  as  of 
the  reading  public,  and  only  after  that  judgment  has 
endured  a  sufficient  length  of  time  to  become  established. 
The  student  will  do  well  to  rely  for  indications  of  what 
is  good  usage,  not  on  recent  writers,  about  whose  literary 
rank  he  may  make  mistakes,  but  on  authors  of  whose  high 
rank  he  is  sure,  —  such  authors  as  Addison,  Irving,  Burke, 
Macaulay,  De  Quincey,  Mill,  Matthew  Arnold,  Ruskin, 
Emerson,  Holmes,  Dickens,  Thackeray,  George  Eliot, 
Hawthorne,  Poe,  Stevenson.  But,  in  consulting  even 
such  authors  as  these,  he  should  beware  of  another  com- 
mon error  regarding  good  usage;  viz.^  — 


DICTION 


3 


(e)  The  supposition  that  a  single  instance  of  the  use  Isolated 
of  a  word  by  one  of  the  best  English  authors  proves  the 
word  to  be  good  English.  A  word  must  be  shown  to  be 
in*  general  use  among  such  authors,  in  order  to  be  proved 
good  English.  The  word  "vim"  can  be  found  in  the 
works  of  Stevenson,  but  it  is  nevertheless  bad  English. 

3.  From  the  foregoing  considerations  it  follows  that   Means  of 
in  order  to  know  by  direct  evidence  what  is  good  and  goodusage 
what  is  bad  English,  one  must  have  a  wide  acquaintance 

with  English  literature  and  a  wide  —  in  fact,  an  inter- 
national —  acquaintance  with  people  of  the  best  education. 
Lacking  such  acquaintance,  one  must  look  to  trustworthy 
books  on  grammar,  rhetoric,  composition,  and  other 
subjects  involving  discussion  of  good  usage,  and  to  good 
dictionaries. 

Note.  — Regarding  the  use  of  a  dictionary  for  determin- 
ing questions  of  good  or  bad  English,  a  mistaken  idea  is 
often  held,  —  viz.,  the  supposition  that  the  inckision  of  a 
word  in  a  dictionary  proves  the  word  to  be  good  English. 
In  consulting  a  dictionary  for  the  standing  of  a  word,  one 
ought  to  observe,  not  merely  whether  the  word  is  in  the 
dictionary,  but  whether,  being  there,  it  is  marked  Obso^ 
lete,  Slang,  Low,  Vulgar,  Local,  or  Colloquial.  If  it  is  so 
marked,  it  is  either  bad  English  or  English  not  in  good  liter- 
ary standing. 

Diction 

Improprieties  and  Barbarisms 

4.  Avoid  the  vulgarism  of  using  a  word  to  fulfill  the 
office  of  a  part  of  speech  to  which  it  does  not  belong. 
(Such  misuse  of  a  word  is  called  an  impropriety.)  Ke- 
member  that  — 

(a)  Suicide,  suspicion,  wire,  and  clerk  are  nouns,  not 
verbs.  (t»)  Days,  nights,  mornings,  evenings,  afternoons, 
times,  hiidplaces,  are  nouns,  not  adverbs,  (c)  Plenty  is  a 
noun,  noi  an  adjective  or  an  adverb  (see  the  Glossary). 


Error 
regarding 
parts  of 
speech 


DICTION 


Unauthor- 
ized for- 
mations 


Analogy 

not 

decisive 


Extempo- 
rized for- 
mations 


(d)  Them  is  a  pronoun,  not  an  adjective;  to  say  "them 
boys"  is  like  saying  "him  boy."  (e)  Combine^  invite, 
steal,  and  try  are  verbs,  not  nouns.  (/)  Canine,  equine, 
feline,  human,  military,  vocal,  and  drunk  are  adjectives, 
not  nouns,  (g)  Heal,  some,  this,  that  (see  these  four  wortis 
in  the  Glossary),  any,  good,  and  considerable  are  adjectives, 
not  adverbs  ;  and  in  modern  prose  friendly  and  cowardly  are 
adjectives,  not  adverbs,  (h)  Down  is  an  adverb,  not  a  verb 
(see  the  Glossary),  (i)  Per  cent,  is  an  adverb  phrase,  not 
a  noun  (see  the  Glossary),  (j)  Near  by  is  an  adverb  phrase, 
not  an  adjective  (see  the  Glossary). 

5.  The  use  of  current  words  coined  without  authority 
from  words  in  good  standing  is  a  violation  of  good  usage. 

Such  unauthorized  formations  are  called  barbarisms. 
Among  them  are  "enthuse"  (see  the  Glossary),  "  burglar- 
ize," "jell"  (for  the  verb  to  jelly),  "electrocute,"  "elec- 
trocution," "tasty"  (for  tasteful),  "homey"  (for  home- 
like), "newsy,"  "  musicianly,"  "complected"  (see  the 
Glossary),  "preventative"  (for preventive) ,  "illy"  (for 
ill),  "overly  (see  the  Glossary),  "cablegram"  (say  tele- 
gram, cable  telegram,  or  cable  message)  ;  and  the  contrac- 
tions "photo,"  "auto,"  "phone,"  "gent,"  "pants," 
"  most"  (for  almost),  and  "  way  "  (for  away). 

Note. — The  standing  of  a  word  depends,  not  on  the 
nature  of  its  formation,  but  solely  on  its  acceptance  or  non- 
acceptance  by  good  usage  (see  Rules  1  and  2).  "  Base- 
ballist"  and  "cheesery"  are  bad  English,  though  they  are 
formed  after  the  analogy  of  pianist  and  creainery,  which  are 
good  English. 

6.  Except  as  a  humorous  device,  do  not  use  words  of 
your  own  coining,  without  ascertaining  from  a  dictionary 
whether  they  are  authorized.    (See  the  note  to  Rule  3.) 


Inappro- 
priate in 
formal 
composi- 
tion 


Contractions 

7.  The  contractions  donH,  isn't,  liavenH,  etc.,  are  not 
appropriate  in  formal  composition.  They  are  proper  in 
conversation  and  in  composition  of  a  colloquial  style. 


MISUSES  OF  PRONOUNS  6 

Misuses  of  Pronouns 

8.  In  formal  composition,  avoid  using  you  indefinitely ;  Indefinite 
use,  rather,  the  passive  voice  or  the  pronoun  one,  2^^^ 

Crude  ;  You  should  not  use  they  indefinitely. 
Right  :   They  should  not  be  used  indefinitely  ;  [or]  One 
should  not  use  they  indefinitely. 

9.  Avoid  using  they  indefinitely ;  use  the  passive  voice,   Indefinite 
or  recast  the  sentence  otherwise.  ^^^^ 

Crude  :  They  make  bricks  in  Fostoria. 

Right :  Bricks  are  made  in  Fostoria. 

Crude  :  They  had  a  collision  on  the  electric  road. 

Right :  There  was  a  collision  ;   [or]  A  collision  occurred. 

Crude  :  They  don't  have  red-birds  in  Wisconsin,  do 

they? 
Right  :  There  are  no  red-birds  in  Wisconsin,  are  there  ? 

[or]  Red-birds  are  not  found  in  Wisconsin,  are  they  ? 

10.  Except  in  impersonal  expressions,  such  as  it  rains,   Indefinite 
it  seems,  it  is  cold,  do  not  use  it  without  antecedent;  re-  *^ 

cast  the  sentence. 

Crude :  In  the  notice  on  the  bulletin  board  it  says  the 
drill  is  held  at  four. 

Right :  The  notice  on  the  bulletin  board  says  the  drill 
is  held  at  four. 

Crude :  In  Garland's  Among  the  Corn  Bows  it  gives  a 
description  of  life  among  the  farmers. 

Right :  Garland's  Among  the  Corn  Bows  gives  a  de- 
scription, etc.;  [or]  In  Garland's  Among  the  Corn 
Bows  there  is  a  description,  etc. 

Crude :  Does  it  say  "  Fair  Oaks  "  on  that  car  ? 

Right :  Is  that  car  marked  '*  Fair  Oaks  "  ? 

11.  The  use  of  a  demonstrative  adjective  (especially  Indefinite 
that  or  those)  that  seems  to  anticipate  a  relative  clause   l^^l^^^ 
but  is  not  completed  by  such  a  clause  is  a  colloquialism 

not  proper  in  formal  composition. 


DICTION 


Misuse  of 
intensives 


"Your- 
self and 
guests  " 


Wrong  :  I  observed  that  the  building  was  one  of  those 
rambling  old  mansions. 

Eight :  I  observed  that  the  building  was  a  rambling  old 
mansion  ;  [or]  ...  one  of  those  rambling  old  mansions 
that  one  often  sees  in  New  England  towns. 

12.  Do  not  use  the  intensive  pronouns  myself,  himself, 
yourself  etc.,  unless  emphasis  is  necessary;  use  the  simple 
personal  pronouns  /,  he,  you,  etc. 

Wrong :  My  wife  and  myself  will  go. 
Right :  My  wife  and  I  will  go. 
Wrong  :  This  is  for  you  and  myself. 
Right :  This  is  for  you  and  me. 

13.  Especially  avoid  expressions  like  "yourself  and 
guests,"  "myself  and  brother."  Say  "you  and  your 
guests,"  "  my  brother  and  I." 


Rhetorical  Ornament 

Triteness 

14.    Avoid  such  trite  rhetorical  expressions  as  the  fol- 
lowing : 


favor  with  a  selection 

render  a  vocal  solo 

rendition 

discourse  sweet  music 

repast 

do  justice  to  a  dinner 

sought  his  downy  couch 

wended  their  way 

enjoyable 

in  a  pleasing  manner 

untiring  efforts 

all  in  all 

some  one  has  said 

specimen  of  humanity 

had  the  privilege 

replete  with  interest 

those  present 


in  evidence 

last  but  not  least 

abreast  of  the  times 

was  the  recipient  of 

everything  went  along  nicely 

the  student  body 

doomed  to  disappointment 

was  an  impressive  sight 

made  a  pretty  picture 

completed  the  scene 

nestled   among  the   hills   or 

among  the  trees 
like  sentinels  guarding 
all  nature  see'ined 
all  nature  clothed  in  a  robe 
each  and  every 
on  this  particular  day 


RHETORICAL  ORNAMENT 


long-felt  want 

it  seems  (in  narrative) 

fair  maidens 

along lines  {e.g.^  along 

agricultural  lines) 
along  the  line  of 
along  these  lines 
as  luck  would  have  it 


the  proud  possessor 

in  touch  with 

social  function 

waited  in  breathless  suspense 

order  out  of  chaos 

those  with  whom  we  come 

in  contact 
imbued  with 


Note.  —  Literary  ornament  is  good  when  it  is  attractive  Literary 
and  appropriate.  But  the  writer  who  uses  such  expressions  ornament 
as  those  in  the  foregoing  list  or  those  mentioned  in  Rule  15 
uses  ornament  that  is  displeasing  ;  and  the  writer  who  drags 
such  expressions  into  a  matter-of-fact  context,  where  any 
ornament  is  incongruous,  commits  a  double  offense  against 
good  taste. 

15.  Avoid   hackneyed   quotations,    literary  allusions,   Hackneyed 
and  proverbs,  such  as  the  following  :  ti^onl%llu- 

,,  ^,     ,  .     ,  .  ,  sions,  and 

Method  m  his  madness  proverbs 

Monarch  of  all  I  survey 

Sadder  but  wiser 

Cupid  has  been  busy 

Variety  is  the  spice  of  life 

The  best  laid  plans  of  mice  and  men,  etc. 

All  work  and  no  play,  etc. 

Never  put  off  till  to-morrow,  etc. 

Make  hay  while  the  sun  shines 

All  is  not  gold,  etc. 

When  ignorance  is  bliss,  etc. 

Music  hath  charms,  etc. 

16.  Obvious  effort  to  decorate  one's  style  with  strik-  News- 
ing  phraseology  is  a    hackneyed  newspaper  mannerism  ^^nne,.. 
(of  Rule  2  c).     This  effort  appears  particularly  in  the  isms; 
following  objectionable  practices : 

(a)  The  tediously  habitual  designation  of  States  and 
cities  by  their  nicknames  {e.g.,  "  the  Buckeye  State,"  "  the 
Sunflower  State,"  "the  Gopher  State,"  "the  Cream 
City,"  etc.).     This  practice  becomes  especially  objection- 


8 


DICTION 


able  when  the  nickname  is  obtruded,  as  it  often  is,  at  a 
place  where  no  name  at  all  is  needed ;  e.g.^ 

Vulgar;  He  arrived  in  Boston  yesterday.  Many  citi- 
zens of  the  Huh  were  gathered  to  meet  him. 

Right :  He  arrived  in  Boston  yesterday.  Many  citizens 
were  gathered  to  meet  him. 

(h)  The  regular  employment  of  miscellaneous  current 
verbal  ornaments,  such  as  "fatal  affray,"  "fistic  en- 
counter," "struggling  mass  of  humanity,"  "scantily 
attired,"  "knights  of  the  pen"  (for  reporters),  "the 
officiating  clergyman,"  "tied  the  knot,"  "pachyderm" 
{ioT  elephant),  "equines"  (for  horses),  "canines"  (for 
dogs),  "  felines  "  (for  cats),  etc. 

(c)  Obtrusive  straining  for  novelty  of  phrase. 

Vulgar :  The  football  warriors  of  the  Badger  State  will 
play  the  Windy  City's  squad  of  pigskin-chasers  this 
afternoon. 

Right :  The  Wisconsin  football  team  will  play  the 
Chicago  team  this  afternoon. 

Vulgar:  The  guests  spent  the  evening  in  doing  the 

''  light  fantastic  "  act. 
Right :  The  guests  spent  the  evening  in  dancing. 

Note.  —  The  jocular  purpose  with  which  the  above-men- 
tioned mannerisms  are  often  practiced  furnishes  no  justifi- 
cation of  them.  Hackneyed  and  tawdry  English,  whatever 
its  purpose,  is  still  hackneyed  and  tawdry.  In  condemning 
the  jocular  use  of  these  forms  of  expression,  good  taste  does 
not  condemn  humorous  writing  ;  it  condemns  the  crude  and 
obvious  counterfeiting  of  humor.  A  comic  account  of  a 
football  game  or  of  an  evening  party  is  commendable  if  the 
humor  is  genuine  and  entertaining ;  but  in  saying  "  squad 
of  pigskin-chasers"  for  football  team,  "did  the  light  fan- 
tastic act"  for  danced,  "the  Hub"  for  Boston,  or  "Inde- 
fatigable knights  of  the  pen  dogged  his  steps  as  far  as  his 
hostelry  "  for  Beporters  folloioed  him  to  his  hotels  —  in  such 
language  there  is  only  a  dull  pretense  of  humor. 


RHETORICAL  ORNAMENT 


Afectation 

17.  Do  not  use  high-flown  language  for  plain  things.      High- 

flown 
Bad  :  To  keep  the  horse  healthy  you  must  be  careful  of    language 

his  environment. 
Right :  To  keep  the  horse  healthy  you  must  be  careful 

of  his  stable. 

Note.  —  Showy  language,  like  showy  dress,  is  in  bad  Plain 
taste.  The  essence  of  artistic  language,  as  of  everything  English 
artistic,  is  not  abundant  ornament  but  appropriateness. 
Straining  for  high-sounding  expressions  to  replace  plain 
English  makes  a  style  weak  and  crude.  Call  a  leg  a  leg, 
not  a  limb  ;  call  a  book  a  book,  not  an  effort ;  call  a  letter 
a  letter,  not  a  kind  favor ;  call  socks  socks,  not  hose  ;  call 
a  house  a  house,  not  a  residence  ;  say  "  I  went  to  bed,"  not 
*'  I  retired '* ;  *'  I  got  up,"  not  ''  I  arose." 

18.  In  prose  avoid  the  use  of  words  suited  only  to   Poetic 


poetry,  such  as  dwelt,  oft,  oftentimes,  ofttimes,  mom, 
amid,  ^mid,  ^ midst,  o'er,  ^neath,  His,  'twas. 


diction 


present 


19.  The  present  tense,  when  it  is  used  in  relating  Thehis- 
past  events,  is  called  the  historical  present.  The  his-  ^^^s^^t 
torical  present,  like  other  intense  and  unusual  figures  of 
speech,  is  proper  only  in  an  abundantly  emotional  style, 
in  which  highly  figurative  language  seems  spontaneous. 
In  a  plain,  straightforward  narrative,  containing  little 
that  is  imaginative,  the  introduction  of  the  historical 
present  is  incongruous ;  it  produces  the  ejffect  either  of  a 
bald  artifice  or  of  a  crude  aftectation. 

Bad  :  He  shouted  to  attract  her  attention,  but  she  went 
on  toward  the  danger  not  hearing  his  warning.  Lash' 
ing  his  horse  and  riding  swiftly  toward  her,  he 
shouted  again.  This  time  she  hears.  She  stands 
still  and  awaits  him.  He  lifts  her  to  his  saddle  and 
rides  frantically  toward  the  hut.  [Throughout  this 
passage  the  past  tense  should  be  used.] 


10 


DICTION 


"The 
writer  " 
and  "  we  * 
for/ 


20.  The  custom  of  designating  persons  and  places  in 
a  story  by  initials  and  dashes,  and  of  representing  dates 
in  a  similar  manner,  is  obsolete ;  it  suggests  aftectation. 
Naturalness  and  distinctness  are  gained  by  using  com- 
plete names  and  dates. 

Objectionable  :  I  was  sitting  by  the  fire  with  my  friend 
B — •  at  his  home  in  S— ,  one  evening  in  18 — . 

Preferable :  I  was  sitting  by  the  fire  with  my  friend 
Bowman  at  his  home  in  Surrey,  one  evening  in  1893. 

Note. — In  narrative  composition,  definiteness,  clearness, 
and  smoothness  are  gained  by  calling  the  characters  by 
name  as  soon  as  they  are  introduced. 

Awkward  :  Two  sisters  were  dining  at  our  house.  One 
of  them  chanced  to  remark  that  the  other  one  could 
not  endure  strawberries.  Now  there  was  a  dish  of 
strawberries  on  the  sideboard.  The  sister  about 
whom  the  remark  had  been  made  could  see  this  dish, 
but  the  other  sister  could  not.  The  one  who  could  see 
it  made  desperate  efforts  with  her  eyebrows  and  her 
feet  to  stop  the  other  one,  who,  however,  continued 
to  expatiate  on  her  sister's  odd  aversion.  When  the 
dessert  was  served,  the  chagrin  of  the  sister  who  had 
made  the  unfortunate  disclosure  was  amusing  to  see. 

Improved :  Two  sisters,  Fanny  and  Mary  Davis,  were 
dining  at  our  house.  Fanny  chanced  to  remark  that 
Mary  could  not  endure  strawberries.  Now,  there 
was  on  the  sideboard  a  dish  of  strawberries,  which 
Mary  (the  strawberry-hater)  could  see,  but  which 
Fanny  could  not  see.  Mary  made  desperate  efforts 
to  stop  her  sister,  who,  however,  continued  to  expa- 
tiate on  Mary's  odd  aversion.  When  the  dessert  was 
served,  the  chagrin  of  the  indiscreet  Fanny  was 
amusing  to  see, 

21.  In  mentioning  yourself  do  not  use  the  pretentious 
and  inept  expressions  "we"  and  "the  writer";  use 
plain,  straightforward  7,  m?/,  and  me.  The  use  of  we 
in  an  editorial  which  purports  to  be  the  utterance  of  a 
board  of  editors  is  entirely  proper.     The  use  of  we  for 


RHETORICAL   ORNAMENT  11 

designating  an  individual  speaker  or  writer  is  an  afFecta-  The  edi- 
torial we 
tion. 

Bad  :  We  have  selected  for  our  text  the  second  verse  of 

the  Epistle  of  Jude. 
Right :  I  have  selected  for  my  text,  etc. 

Bad :  When  quite  a  child  we  adopted  the  Graham 
system  for  dyspepsia.  .  .  .  We  partook  of  [see  the 
Glossary]  but  one  meal  in  twenty-four  hours.  .  .  . 
Thus  we  passed  most  of  our  early  years. 

Right:  When  a  mere  child  I  adopted  the  Graham 
system  of  treatment  for  dyspepsia.  ...  I  took  but 
one  meal  in  twenty-four  hours.  .  .  •  Thus  I  passed 
most  of  my  early  years. 


Mixed  Figures  of  Speech 

22.    Do  not  use  a  simile  or  metaphor  which  is  incon-  Incon- 
gruous with  the  expression  preceding.  w^ith^ 

T)reced 
Incongruous  metaphor :  The  officers  must  enforce  dis- 
cipline among  the  raw  material. 
Right :  The  officers  must  enforce  discipline  among  the 
new  men. 

Incongruous  metaphor  :  We  got  some  oil  for  the  wheel 
at  a  farmhouse,  and  thus  our  hotbox  was  nipped  in 
the  bud. 

Right :  At  a  farmhouse  we  got  some  oil  for  the  wheel 
and  thus  prevented  a  hotbox. 

Incongruous  metaphor :  He  must  conduct  his  business 

on  an  honest  foundation. 
Right :    He  must  conduct  his  business  in  an  honest 

manner ;  [or]    He  must  build  his    business  on    an 

honest  foundation. 

Bad :  The  probe  of  the  Fond  du  Lac  grand  jury  has 

netted  five  corrupt  officials. 
Right :  The  probe  of  the  Fond  du  Lac  grand  jury  has 

revealed  five  corrupt  officials ;  [or]   The  drag  net  of 

the  Fond  du  Lac  grand  jury  has  caught  five  coriTipt 

officials. 


12 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


Figures 
not  carried 
out 


Bad :  With  his  fortune  blown  to  the  four  winds,  all  his 

ambition  was  crushed. 
Right :  All  his  ambition  was,  like  his  fortune,  blown  to 

the  four  winds  ;  [or]  In  the  ruin  of  his  fortune  his 

ambition  was  crushed. 

23.  When  a  simile  or  metaphor  has  been  used,  the 
expression  following  it  should  carry  out  the  figure  — 
should  not  (1)  embody  an  incongruous  figure  or  (2)  be 
incongruously  literal. 

Bad :  The  freshman  algebra  course  is  a  rocky  and 
difficult  road  to  travel.  But  whether  we  like  it  or  not 
we  are  required  to  wade  through  it.  [The  figure 
embodied  in  "rocky  road"  is  not  carried  out  by  the 
figure  embodied  in  "wade  through."] 

Right :  The  freshman  course  in  algebra  is  a  rocky  and 
difficult  road  to  travel.  But  whether  we  like  it  or  not, 
we  are  required  to  travel  it. 

Bad :  It  made  a  deep  impression  on  my  mind  which  I 
shall  never  forget.  [The  figure  embodied  in  "  impres- 
sion" is  not  carried  out  by  the  literal  expression 
"forget."] 

Right :  It  made  a  deep  impression  on  my  mind,  which 
wiU  never  be  effaced. 


Subordi- 
nate ele- 
ments 
mistaken 
for  sen- 
tences 


Structure  of  Sentences 

Some  Fundamental  Errors 

24.  Subordinate  sentence-elements  should  not  be  capi- 
talized and  punctuated  like  independent  sentences.  (See 
Exercise  LXXIV.) 

A.  Wrong;  It  offers  a   course  for  those   who  wish    to 

study  painting.     At  the  same  time  affording  oppor- 
tunity for  literary  study. 
Right :  It  offers  a  course  to  those  who  wish  to  study 
painting,  at  the  same  time   affording  opportunity 
for  literary  study. 

B.  Wrong:   Among  her  suitors  were  two  she   favored 

most.     One  a  college  student,  the  other  a  capitalist. 


SOME  FUNDAMENTAL   ERRORS  13 

Right :  Among  her  suitors  were  two  she  favored  most ; 

one  a  college  student,  the  other  a  capitalist. 
C.  Wrong  :  The  care  of  oil  lamps  requires  every  day  some 

untidy  and  disagreeable  labor.     While  electric  lights 

give  the  housekeeper  no  trouble. 
Right:  The  care  of  oil  lamps  requires  every  day  some 

untidy  and  disagreeable  labor,  while  electric  lights 

give  the  housekeeper  no  trouble. 

25.  Do   not   use  a  word,  phrase,  or  clause  without  Elements 
proper  grammatical  construction.  svntax^ 

Bad  :  The  resonator  responds  in  a  manner  analogous  to 

that  ichich  one  tuning  fork  responds  to  another. 
Right :  The  resonator  responds  in  a  manner  analogous 

to  that  in  which  one  tuning  fork  responds  to  another. 
Bad :  That's  all  I  want,  is  a  chance  to  test  it  thoroughly. 

['*  Is  "  has  no  subject.] 
Right ;  That's  all  I  want  —  a  chance  to  test  it  thoroughly 

[see  Rule  236  e];  [or]  All  I  want  is  a  chance  to  test 

it  thoroughly. 
Wrong :  There  were  some  people  whom  I  could  not  tell 

whether  they  were  English  or  American.     ["  Whom  " 

has  no  construction.] 
Right :  There  were  some  people  about  whom  I  could 

not  tell  whether  they  were  English  or  American. 

26.  Do   not   begin  a  grammatical   construction  and   Sentences 
leave  it  unfinished.  tlnce-lle- 

Bad :  The  fact  that  I  had  never  before  studied  at  home,    ^^^^0^1®^* 
I  was  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with  vacant  periods.     [The   pieted 
noun  "fact"  with  its  appositive  modifier  "that  .  .  • 
home  "  is  left  without  any  construction.] 

Right :  The  fact  that  I  had  never  before  studied  at  home 
made  me  feel  at  a  loss  as  to  what  to  do  with  vacant 
periods. 

Bad :  The  story  tells  how  a  young  German,  who,  hav- 
ing settled  in  Dakota,  returns  to  Wisconsin  and  there 
marries  an  old  schoolmate.  [The  clause  beginning 
"how  a  young  German  "  is  left  unfinished  ;  "Ger- 
man" (modified  by  the  clause  "who  .  .  .  school- 
mate") has  no  construction.] 


14 


STRUCTURE   OF  SENTENCES 


Sentence 
as  subject 
or  predi- 
cate com- 
plement 


When  or 
where 
clause  for 
predicate 
noun 


Right:  The  story  tells  how  a  young  German,  having 
settled  in  Dakota,  returns  to  Wisconsin  and  marries 
an  old  schoolmate. 

Wrong :  Any  man  who  could  accomplish  that  task,  the 
whole  world  would  think  he  was  a  hero.  ["Man," 
with  its  modifier  "who  .  .  .  task,"  is  left  without 
any  construction.  ] 

Right:  Any  man  who  could  accomplish  that  task  the 
whole  world  would  regard  as  a  hero. 

27.  The  use  of  a  sentence  (except  a  quoted  sentence) 
as  the  subject  of  is  or  was  is  a.  crudity. 

Crude :  I  was  detained  by  business  is  the  reason  I  am 

late. 
Right :  I  was  detained  by  business ;  that  is  the  reason 

I  am  late. 

A  similar  fault  is  the  use  of  a  sentence  (except  a  quoted 
sentence)  as  a  predicate  substantive  after  is  or  was. 
This  fault  may  be  corrected  by  changing  the  sentence  to 
a  substantive  clause. 

Crude :  The  difference  between  them  is  De  Quincey  is 

humorous  and  Macaulay  is  grave. 
Right :  The  difference  between  them  is  that  De  Quincey 

is  humorous  and  Macaulay  is  grave. 

28.  Do  not  use  a  when  or  where  clause  in  place  of  a 
predicate  noun ;  use  a  noun  with  modifiers. 

Bad :  Intoxication  is  when  the  brain  is  affected  by  the 

action  of  certain  drugs. 
Right:  Intoxication  is  a  state  of  the  brain,  caused  by 

the  action  of  certain  drugs. 


Agree- 
ment of 
subject 
and  verb 


Interven- 
ing words 


Grammatical  Agreement  ^ 

29.    A  verb  should  agree  in  number  with  its  subject. 

(a)  Be  careful  not  to  make  a  verb  agree  with  a  word 
intervening  between  it  and  the  subject,  instead  of  with 
the  subject.     (See  Exercise  XIX.) 

1  For  definitions  of  grammatical  terms  see  Appendix  B. 


GRAMMATICAL  AGREEMENT  16 

Wrong  :  A  new  order  of  ideas  and  principles  have  been 

instituted. 
Right :  A  new  order  of  ideas  and  principles  has  been 

instituted. 

(b)  Words  joined  to  a  subject  by  ivitJi,  together  with,  Number  of 
including,  as  well  as,  or  no  less  than,  do  not  aflfect  the  the  subject 
number  of  the  subject.  fected  by 

toith  etc 
Wrong  :  The  captain,  as  well  as  the  mate  and  the  pilot,  ' 

were  frightened. 

Right :  The  captain,  as  well  as  the  mate  and  the  pilot, 

was  frightened. 

(c)  Two  or  more  singular  subjects  joined  by  or  or  nor  Subjects 

require  a  singular  verb.  jomed  by 

^  o  or  or  nor 

Wrong :  Neither  he  nor  she  are  here. 

Right :  Neither  he  nor  she  is  here. 

Wrong :  One  or  the  other  of  those  fellows  have  stolen 

it. 
Right :  One  or  the  other  of  those  fellows  has  stolen  it. 

30.  A  verb  agrees  with  its  subject,  not  with  its  predi-  Incorrect 

cate  noun.  t^f^T^''* 

with  a 

Wrong:  The  main  part  of  this  machine  are  the  large   Predicate 

rollers.  """"^ 

Right :  The   main  part  of  this  machine  is  the  large 

rollers. 
Wrong:  Oak,  brass,  and  steel  is  the  material  of  the 

structure. 
Right:  Oak,  brass,  and  steel  are  the  material  of  the 

structure. 

31.  Each,  every,  either,  neither,  some  one^  somebody,   Each, 
any  one,  anybody,  every  one,  everybody,  no  one,  nobody,   ^^^n/»  etc. 
one,  and  a  person  accord  with  singular,  not  plural,  verbs 

and  pronouns.     (See  Exercise  XX.) 

Wrong:  Every  one  opened  their  window. 
Right :  Every  one  opened  his  window. 
Wrong  :  Each  of  the  suspected  men  were  held. 
Right  :  Each  of  the  suspected  men  was  held. 


16 


STRUCTURE   OF  SENTENCES 


Method  of 
correction 


32.    In  correcting  violations  of  Rule  31,  recasting  is 
often  advisable. 

Wrong  :  Everybody  there  objected  and  declared  they 

thought  it  barbarous. 
Right :  All  the  people  there  objected  and  declared  they 

thought  it  barbarous. 


Matters  of  Case 

Nomina-  33.    The  subject  of  a  verb  (except  of  an  infinitive ;  see 
foT^ublect  -^^^^  ^^)  should  be  in  the  nominative  case. 
Who  not  (p)    This  rule  holds  of  the  pronoun  who  when  an  ex- 
affected  by  pression  like  he  says  intervenes  between  the  pronoun  and 

/16  SCfUS  X  «y  i. 

etc.      '        its  verb.     (See  Exercise  XXI.) 

Wrong  :  The  man  whom  I  thought  was  my  friend  de- 
ceived me. 

Right :  The  man  who  I  thought  was  my  friend  deceived 
me.  ["Who"  is  the  subject  of  *'was";  **I 
thought  "  is  a  mere  parenthesis.] 

Wrong  :  Whom  did  they  say  won  ? 
Right ;  Who  did  they  say  won  ? 


Who  or 
whoever 
not  af- 
fected by 
preceding 
words 


(b)  The  pronoun  ivho  or  whoever,  when  it  is  the  sub- 
ject of  a  finite  verb,  should  not  be  attracted  into  the 
objective  case  by  a  verb  or  a  preposition  preceding  the 
clause  introduced  by  the  who  or  whoever.  (See  Exercise 
XXII.) 

Wrong:  Send  whomever  will  do  the  work. 

Right :  Send  whoever  will  do  the  work.  ["  Whoever  " 
is  the  subject  of  "will  do,"  not  the  object  of  "send." 
The  object  of  "send"  is  the  implied  antecedent  of 
*'  whoever."] 

Wrong :  The  question  of  whom  should  be  leader  arose. 

Right :  The  question  of  who  should  be  leader  arose. 
["  Who  "  is  the  subject  of  "should  be,"  not  the  object 
of  "of."  The  object  of  "of"  is  the  substantive 
clause  *'  who  should  be  leader."] 


MATTERS   OF  CASE 


17 


comple- 
ment of 
an  in- 
finitive 


34.  A  predicate  substantive  completing  a  finite  verb  Predicate 
should  be  in  the  nominative  case.     (See  Exercise  XXIV.)  ^.j^g  ^i^^ 

Eight :  It  is  I.  —  The  beneficiaries  are  she,  they,  and  ^°^*®  ^®^^ 
we.  —  Is  it  we  that  you  accuse  ? 

35.  The  subject  of  an  infinitive  and  the  predicate  sub-   Subject 
stantive  completing  an  infinitive  should  be  in  the  objective  cate^^^  ^' 
case.     (See  Exercises  XXI,  XXII,  and  XXIY.) 

Right :  The  gazette  reported  him  to  be  dead.  ["  Him '' 
is  the  subject  of  the  infinitive  "  to  be."] 

Right:  She  imagined  the  burglar  to  be  me.  ["Me'' 
is  the  predicate  substantive  completing  ''to  be."] 

Right :  The  man  whom  I  thought  to  be  my  friend  de- 
ceived me.  ["Whom"  is  the  subject  of  "to  be." 
Cf.  the  first  two  examples  under  Rule  33  a.] 

36.  The  object  of  a  verb  or  of  a  preposition  should  be  Object  of 
in  the  objective  case.     (See  Exercise  XXIV.)  prepoTi- 

Right :  Whom  do  you  mean  ?  —  It  is  for  her,  him,  and   ^^on 
me.  —  He  helped  my  mother  and  me.  —  All  are  going, 
including  him,  her,  and  us  two.  — Does  that  rule  apply 
to  us  older  members  ? 

37.  An  appositive  should  be  in  the  same  case  as  the   Apposi- 
noun  with  which  it  is  in  apposition. 

Right:  All  are  going, — he,  she,  and  we  two.  — He 
spoke  to  some  of  us,  —  namely,  her  and  me.  —  We  all 
met,  —  she,  the  officer,  they  you  mentioned,  and  I. 

38.  Tlian  and  as  are  not  prepositions ;  they  are  con- 
junctions, always  used  to  introduce  subordinate  clauses. 
When  a  single  substantive  follows  than  or  as,  that  sub- 
stantive is  not  the  object  of  a  preposition ;  it  is  a  member 
of  a  clause  of  which  the  remainder  is. omitted  because 
easily  supplied  from  the  preceding  clause.  The  case  of 
such  a  substantive  depends  on  its  construction  in  the  clause 
when  the  clause  is  completed.    (See  Exercise  XXIII.) 

Right :  He  is  happier  than  I.  ["  Than  I"  =  "  than  I 
am."3 


18 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


Right :  I  can  do  it  as  well  as  they.     ["As  they  "  =  "  as 
they  can  do  it."] 

Right:  I  should  help   him  more   willingly   than   her. 
["Than  her"  =  "  than  I  should  help  her."] 

Than  Note.  —  The  expression   than  whom  is  ungrammatical, 

whom  but  well  established  as  an  idiom.* 

"...  when  Beelzebub  perceived,  — than  whom, 
Satan  except,  none  higher  sat,  —  with  grave 
Aspect  he  rose.  ..." 

—  Paradise  Lost,  Book  II. 

Possessive        39.    As  a  rule,  do  not  use  the  possessive  case  of  nouns 

^^®  •  not  designating  persons. 

not  desig-  j^^^  .  q^^  university's  rules. 

persons  Right :  The  rules  of  our  university. 

Bad :  Australia's  resources. 

Right :  The  resources  of  Australia. 


Permis- 
sible ex- 
ceptions 


Possessive 
case  in 
objective 
sense 


Possessive 

with 

gerunds 


Note. — To  this  rule  good  usage  justifies  certain  excep- 
tions. Eor  example,  the  use  of  the  possessive  of  day,  hour^ 
week,  month,  year,  century^  and  other  nouns  designating 
periods  of  time  is  freely  allowed  ;  as  day''s  journey,  a  yearns 
vacation.  But  an  inexperienced  writer  should  observe  the 
rule  carefully,  not  making  exceptions  other  than  those  that 
he  knows  are  frequently  made  by  recognized  masters  of 
English  prose. 

40.  Do  not  use  the  possessive  case  of  a  noun  to  in- 
dicate the  object  of  an  action ;  use  an  o/ phrase. 

Wrong :  Lincoln's  assassination. 
Right :  The  assassination  of  Lincoln. 

Wrong  :  Mankind's  benefactor. 
Right :  The 'benefactor  of  mankind. 

41.  Put  the  substantive  modifying  a  gerund  in  the 
possessive  case. 

Wrong  :  We  left  without  any  one  knowing. 
Right  :  We  left  without  any  one's  knowing. 


ADJECTIVES  AND   ADVERBS  19 


Adjectives  and  Adverbs 

42.  In  such  expressions  as  He  looks  sad,  He  looks  Adverb  or 
sadly,  It  sounds  dear,  It  sounds  dearly,  He  stands  ^^jectfve 
firm.  He  staiids  firmly,  the  word  following  the  verb 

should  be  an  adjective  if  it  designates  a  characteristic  or 
condition  of  the  subject;  if  it  modifies  the  verb,  it 
should  be  an  adverb. 

Right:  He  appears  good  [i.e.,  appears  to  be  a  good 

Right  :  He  appears  well  in  public  [i.e.,  makes  his  ap- 
pearance in  a  creditable  manner]. 

Right  :  The  music  sounds  loud  [i.e.,  has  the  charac- 
teristic of  loud  music'] . 

Right :  The  bugle  sounded  loudly  through  the  ranks 
[i.e.,  sounded  in  a  loud  manner]. 

Right  :  It  stands  immovable.  It  smells  sweet.  It 
tastes  sour.  Your  hand  feels  cold.  It  burns  bright. 
She  looks  dainty.     That  statement  sounds  queer. 

Note.  —  In  such  expressions  as  I  am  well  and  I  am  ill, 
well  and  ill  are  adjectives  (see  these  words  in  a  diction- 
ary). An  expression  like  "I  am  nicely,"  *'I  am  poorly," 
is  an  ungrammatical  vulgarism. 

43.  In  such  expressions  as  He  holds  it  steady^  He  Adverb  or 
holds  it  steadily,  He  filled  it  fall,  He  filled  it  fully,   aTjectrve 
the  modifier  should  be  an  adjective  if  it  designates  the 
condition  of  the  object  —  the  condition  produced  by  the 

action  of  the  verb ;  if  it  designates  the  manner  of  action 
of  the  verb,  it  should  be  an  adverb. 

Right  :  He  kept  it  safe  [i.e.,  through  his  keeping,  it 

was  safe]. 
Right  :  He  kept  it  safely  [i.e.,  he  performed  in  a  safe 

manner  the  act  of  keeping]. 
Right:  He   wrapped  it  tight  ["  tight "   designates  the 

condition  of  the  object]. 
Right :  He  wrapped  it  tightly  ["  tightly  "  designates  the 

mode  of  wrapping]. 


20       STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

Right :  Sweep  it  clean.  Hold  it  motionless.  Shoot 
him  dead.  Nail  it  solid.  Bury  it  deep.  Raise  it 
high. 

Matters  of  Voice 

44.  Do  not  use  the  passive  voice  when  such  use 
makes  a  statement  clumsy  and  wordy. 

Bad  :  Your  letter  was  received  and  carefully  read  by 

me. 
Right :  I  received  and  carefully  read  your  letter. 

(See  Rule  336.) 

45.  Do  not,  by  using  the  passive  voice,  leave  the 
agent  of  the  verb  vaguely  indicated,  when  the  agent 
should  be  clearly  indicated. 

Bad  :  That  was  a  crisis  in  my  life,  which  will  never  be 

forgotten. 
Right  :  That   was  a  crisis  in   my  life,   which  I  shall 

never  forget. 

Matters  of  Tense 

46.  To  represent  simple  expectation  on  the  part  of 
the  speaker,  use  shall  (or  its  inflectional  form  should) 
and  will  (or  its  inflectional  form  would)  according  to  the 
following  formula : 

I  shall  (should)  we  shall  (should) 

thou  wilt  (wouldst)  you  will  (would) 

he  will  (would)  they  will  (would) 

Wrong  :  I  don't  believe  I  will  be  able  to  go. 
Right  :  I  don't  believe  I  shall  be  able  to  go. 
Right  :  I  don't  believe  he  will  be  able  to  go. 
Wrong :  I  feared  I  would  fail. 
Right :  I  feared  I  should  fail. 
Right :  I  feared  you  would  fail. 

(See  Exercise  XXVII.) 

47.  To  represent  determination,  desire,  willingness,  or 
promise  on  the  part  of  the  speaker,  use  shall  (or  should) 
and  will  (or  would)  according  to  the  following  fornmla : 


MATTERS  OF  TENSE 


21 


I  will  (would) 

thou  shalt  (shouldst) 

he  shall  (should) 


we  will  (would) 
you  shall  (should) 
they  shall  (should) 


Right  :  I  will  help  you ;  I  promise  it.  You  shall  not 
stir ;  I  forbid  it.  They  shall  be  hanged  at  sunrise  j 
we,  the  court,  decree  it. 

(See  Exercise  XXVII.) 

48.  In  a  question  containing  shall  or  sJwuldj  will  or  in  ques- 
would,  — 

(a)  When  the  subject  is  in  the  first  person,  the 
auxiliary  should  always  be  shall  or  should,  except  in 
repeating  a  question  addressed  to  the  speaker  (e.^., 
"  Will  I  help  you  ?     Why,  certainly"). 

(b)  When  the  subject  is  in  the  second  or  third  person, 
use  the  auxiliary  that  will  be  used  in  the  answer. 

Right  form  for  a  question  as  to  expectation  :  Shall  you 
be  recognized,  do  you  think  ?  [The  answer,  acc®rd- 
ing  to  Rule  46,  would  be  either  "  I  shall  be'*  or  "I 
shall  not  be"  ;  therefore  shall  should  be  used  in  the 
question.] 

Right  form  for  a  question  as  to  intention  :  Will  you  do 
the  deed  ?  [The  answer,  according  to  Rule  47,  would 
be  either  "I  will"  or  "  I  will  not;"  therefore  will 
should  be  used  in  the  question.] 

(See  Exercise  XXVII.) 

49.  In  an  indirect  quotation  use  the  auxiliary  that   Jy^^^^^^^*^ 
would  properly  be  used  if  the  quotation  were  direct.  tions 

Right  :  He  said  he  thought  he  should  ride.  [The  direct 
quotation  would  be,  "  I  think  I  shall  ride  "  ;  therefore 
should  (an  inflectional  form  of  shall)  should  be  used 
in  the  indirect  quotation.] 

50.  In  subordinate  clauses  making  contingent  state- 
ments, shall  and  should  are  correctly  used  for  all  persons. 

Right :  If  they  should  find  it,  I  should  rejoice. 
Right :  A  man  who  should  do  that  would  be  hated. 


22       STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

The  un-  51.    Obscurity,  or  an  effect  of  incompleteness,  arises 

twise  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^^  ^^  ^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^  P^^^  tense  unaccompanied 
by  a  time  modifier,  when  there  is  in  the  context  no-  in- 
dication of  the  time  of  the  action. 

Obscure  and  incomplete  :  In  accounting  for  the  origin 
of  Lake  Wingra,  geologists  say  that  a  small  stream 
ran  through  the  territory  where  the  lake  now  lies. 

Clear  [The  necessary  time  modifier  of  "ran"  is  sup- 
plied] :  In  accounting  for  the  origin  of  Lake  Wingra, 
geologists  say  that  at  some  remote  period  a  small 
stream  ran  through  the  territory  where  the  lake  now 
lies. 

Obscure  and  incomplete  :  The  filament  of  an  incandes- 
cent lamp  is  usually  made  of  carbon.  Filaments 
were  also  made  of  platinum  ;  but  this  metal,  because 
of  its  very  high  price,  is  at  present  not  used  at  all  in 
electric  lamps. 

Clear  [The  necessary  time  modifier  of  *'were"  is  sup- 
plied]: The  filament  of  an  incandescent  lamp  is  usu- 
ally made  of  carbon.  Formerly,  filaments  were 
made  of  platinum  also  ;  but  this  metal,  etc. 

Past  mis-  52.    When  the  course  of  a  narrative  is  suspended  for 

used  for       ^j^^  introduction  of  a  preceding  event,  the  past-perfect 
perfect         tense  should  be  used. 

Obscure :  Mitchell  hired  a  jockey  named  Brunt  to  ride 
Shackles  in  the  approaching  race.  Brunt  was  in- 
jured in  a  jump-race  and  gave  up  racing  for  a  time. 
But  Mitchell  persuaded  him  to  begin  again.  [The 
reader  supposes  that  the  events  stated  in  the  itali- 
cized sentence  followed  the  employment  of  Brunt  by 
Mitchell ;  whereas  the  writer  intends  to  say  that 
those  events  preceded  the  employment.  The  use  of 
the  past  tense  in  the  italicized  sentence  is  thus  en- 
tirely misleading.] 

Clear :  Mitchell  hired  a  jockey  named  Brunt  to  ride 
Shackles  in  the  approaching  race.  Brunt  had  been 
injured  in  a  ]ump-race  and  had  given  up  racing  for  a 
time.     But  Mitchell  persuaded  him  to  begin  again. 


REFERENCE  23 

53.  Guard  against  the  incorrect  attraction  of  infini-  Misuse  of 
tives  and  conditional  verb-phrases  into  the  perfect  tense,  fnfinltives 
An  infinitive  should  be  in  the  present   tense  unless  it  and  per- 
represents  action  prior  to  that  of  the  governing  verb.  ditional' 

Wrong  :  It  was  not  necessary  for  you  to  have  gone.  ^^ 

Right :  It  was  not  necessary  for  you  to  go. 
Wrong :  I  intended  to  have  answered. 
Right :  I  intended  to  answer. 

A  conditional  verb-phrase  in  a  dependent  clause  should 
be  in  the  present  tense  unless  it  represents  action  prior 
to  that  of  the  governing  verb. 

Wrong  :  I  should  not  have  said  it  if  I  had  thought  it 

would  have  shocked  her. 
Right :  I  should  not  have  said  it  if  I  had   thought  it 

would  shock  her. 

54.  Do  not  use  a  present  participle  to  represent  an   Anachro- 

action  not  synchronous  with  that  of  the  srovernine:  verb,   nous  par- 
•^  &  &  ticiples 

Wrong  :  On  Thursday  he  left  for  Pittsburg,  arriving 

there  on  Sunday. 
Right  :  He  left  for  Pittsburg  on  Thursday  and  arrived 

there  on  Sunday. 
Wrong:   Starting  for  London,   he   arrived  there  two 

weeks  later. 
Right :  He  started  for  London  and  arrived  there  two 

weeks  later. 
Wrong:  It  is  old,  being  founded  in  1809. 
Right :  It  is  old,  having  been  founded  in  1809. 

Beference 

55.  Do  not  use  a  pronoun,  or  a  pronominal  expres- 
sion, the  reference  of  which  is  uncertain  or  not  immedi- 
ately evident.  The  possibility  of  even  momentary  doubt, 
or  of  momentary  ludicrous  reference  to  a  wrong  word,  as 
well  as  real  obscurity  of  reference,  should  be  avoided. 
(See  Exercise  XXVIII.) 


24        STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

Uncertain :    Geraint  followed  the   knight  to  a    town, 

where  he  entered  a  castle. 
Uncertain:  He   told  his  father  he  would  soon  get  a 

letter. 
Not  immediately  evident :  The  ghost  of  his  old  partner 

appeared  to  Scrooge.     He  told  him  he  must  reform. 
Ludicrous :  Whistling  for  Rover,  my  cousin  put  a  pail 

in  his  mouth  and  we  started. 

Method  of        56.    Violations  of  Rule  55  may  sometimes  be  corrected 
correction    -^-^j  repeating  the  antecedent  or  using  an  equivalent  noun  ; 
thus  : 

Right :  Whistling  for  Rover,  my  cousin  put  a  pail  in  the 
dog's  mouth,  and  we  started. 

But  usually  recasting  is  advisable ;  thus : 

Right  :  Geraint  followed  the  knight  to  a  town  and  there 

saw  him  enter  a  castle. 
Right:  He  said  to  his  father,  "You  will  [or  I  shall] 

soon  get  a  letter." 
Right :  The  ghost  of  his  partner  appeared  to  Scrooge 

and  admonished  him  to  reform. 

57.  The  pronouns  this  and  tJiat  are  peculiarly  liable 
to  be  used  with  what  may  be  called  weak  reference.  In 
case  of  such  use,  the  fault  may  often  be  corrected  by 
changing  the  pronoun  to  a  demonstrative  adjective  and 
inserting  a  noun  after  it.     Thus : 

Weak  reference  :  He  asked  where  Cary  was.    I  could 

not  answer  that. 
Right :  He  asked  where  Cary  was.     I  could  not  answer 

that  question. 

Weak  reference  :  We  do  oppose  the  bill ;  if  we  did  not, 

we  should  not  publish  this. 
Right :  We  do  oppose  the  bill ;  if  we  did  not,  we  should 

not  publish  this  article. 

58.  Do  not  use  a  pronoun  to  refer  to  a  noun  that  has 
not  been  used  for  a  considerable  space ;  repeat  the  noun. 


REFERENCE  25 

59.  Do  not  use  a  pronoun  referring  to  a  noun  sub-  Reference 
ordinate  in  thought  or  syntax;  repeat  the  noun  or  nofpro^- 
recast  the  sentence.  inent 

Bad  :  Mrs.  Bloodgood  will  appear  at  Powers' s  theater  in 
Fitch's  play,  The  Girl  with  the  Green  Eyes,  This 
piece  was  written  by  him  especially  for  Mrs.  Blood- 
good. 

Right :  Mrs.  Bloodgood  will  appear  at  Powers's  theater 
in  Fitch's  play,  The  Girl  with  the  Green  Eyes,  This 
piece  was  written  by  Mr.  Fitch  especially  for  Mrs. 
Bloodgood. 

Bad  :  In  Miss  Howerth's  story  of  her  life  she  relates  this 
incident. 

Right :  Miss  Howerth  in  the  story  of  her  life  relates 
this  incident. 

60.  Do  not  use  a  pronoun,  or  a  pronominal  expres-  Reference 
sion,  seeming  to  refer  to  a  word  or  phrase  that  has  not  ^^f  g^^^^ 
been  expressed.     (See  Exercise  XXVIII.)  pressed 

Bad  :  The  cadet  must  keep  his  hands  out  of  his  pockets  ; 

that  would  be  very  unsoldierly. 
Right:  The  cadet  must  keep  his  hands    out    of    his 

pockets  ;  to  put  them  there  would  be  very  unsoldierly. 
Bad  :  Marx  is  a  violinist,  the  study  of  which  instrument 

he  began  when  a  boy. 
Right :  Marx  is  a  violinist.     He  began  the  study  of  the 

violm  when  he  was  a  boy. 
Bad  :  A  stove  is  a  structure  of  iron  used  for  holding  fire. 

They  are  employed  for  both  heating  and  cooking. 
Right ;  A  stove  is  a  structure  of  iron  used  for  holding 

tire.     Stoves    are    employed  for   both   heating    and 

cooking. 

Bad :  Mink-skins  are  valuable,  because  these  animals 

are  now  scarce. 
Right :  Mink-skins  are  valuable,  because  minks  are  now 

scarce. 

61.  Do  not  use  a  pronoun  followed  by  its  antecedent  Antece- 
in  parentheses ;  use  the  antecedent  alone  or  else  recast  parent 
the  sentence.  theses 


26 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


Dangling 
participles 


Participle 
introduc- 
ing a  sen- 
tence or 
clause 


Method  of 
correction 


Awkward  :  If  Davis  treated  Dixon  discourteously,  there 
is  no  objection  to  his  (Dixon's)  decision. 

Right :  If  Davis  treated  Dixon  discourteously,  there  is 
no  objection  to  Dixon's  decision  ;  [or]  Dixon  is  not 
to  be  blamed  for  his  decision  if  he  was  treated  dis- 
courteously by  Davis. 

Dangling  modifiers 

62.  A  participle  should  not  be  used  unless  the  sub- 
stantive it  logically  modifies  appears  in  the  same  sentence 
and  is  naturally  and  immediately  connected  with  the 
participle.     (See  Exercise  XXIX.) 

Wrong:  Every  morning  I  take  a  run  followed  by  a 

shower  bath. 
Right :  Every  morning  I  take  a  run  and  immediately 

afterward  a  shower  bath. 
Wrong :  He  was  deaf,  caused  by  an   early  attack   of 

scarlet  fever. 
Right :  He  was  deaf,  as  the  result  of  an  early  attack  of 

scarlet  fever. 

63.  A  participle  should  not  introduce  a  sentence  or 
clause,  unless  it  logically  modifies  the  subject  of  the  sen- 
tence or  clause.     (See  Exercise  XXIX.) 

Wrong :  Having  come  of  age,  I  took  my  son  into  part- 
nership with  me. 

Wrong :  There  we  landed,  and  having  eaten  our  lunch 
the  steamboat  departed. 

64.  Violations  of  the  foregoing  rule  may  be  corrected 
either  (a)  by  changing  the  participial  phrase  to  a  clause, 
or  (6)  by  making  the  noun  logically  modified  by  the  par- 
ticiple the  subject  of  the  sentence  or  clause.     Thus  : 

Right :  (a)  When  my  son  came  of  age,  I  took  him  into 
partnership  ;  [or]  (h)  Having  come  of  age,  my  son 
entered  into  partnership  with  me. 

Right :  (a)  There  we  landed,  and  after  we  had  eaten 
our  lunch  the  steamboat  departed ;  [or]  {h)  There 
we  landed,  and  having  eaten  our  lunch  we  saw  the 
steamboat  depart. 


DANGLING  MODIFIERS  27 

65.  A  participle  preceded  by  thus  should  not  be  used  Participle 
except  to  modify  the  subject  of  the  preceding  verb.  bv^?Ail?^ 

Wrong  :  He  was  careful  to  avoid  having  a  notice  sent 
to  his  parents  that  he  had  failed,  thus  causing  sorrow 
at  both  ends  of  the  line.  ["Causing,"  intended  to 
modify  "notice,"  appears  instead  to  modify  ''he" 
and  to  express  the  result  of  "  was  careful  to  avoid," 
etc.] 

Right :  He  was  careful  that  his  parents  should  not  re- 
ceive a  notice  that  he  had  failed,  which  would  have 
caused  sorrow  both  to  them  and  to  himself. 

Wrong :  He  has  to  stand  still  until  the  rod  man  comes 
up,  thus  giving  him  no  chance  to  move  about  and 
keep  warm. 

Right :  He  has  to  stand  still  until  the  rod  man  comes 
up,  and  thus  he  has  no  chance  to  move  about  and 
keep  warm. 

66.  A  gerund  phrase  (e,g.,  in  speaking,  after  going)   Dangling 
should  not  be  used  unless  the  substantive  to  which  it   f^^as^ 
logically  relates  is  present  in  the  same  sentence  and  is 
naturally  and   immediately  connected  with    the   gerund 
phrase.     (See  the  examples  under  Rule  67.)     (See  Ex- 
ercise XXX.) 

Note.  —  This  rule  and  Rule  67  do  not  apply  when  the 
gerund  designates  general  action,  not  the  action  of  any  spe- 
cial agent.    Thus  : 

Right :  In  swimming,  the  head  should  not  be  lifted  too 
high. 

67.  A  gerund  phrase  should  not  introduce  a  sentence   Gerund 

or  clause  unless  it  logically  modifies  the  subject  of  the  P^^rase  m- 
^         *^  •'  troducmg 

sentence  or  clause.     (See  Exercise  XXX.)  sentence 

Wrong :  In  talking  to  Smith  the  other  day,  he  told  me 
about  the  race. 

Wrong :  After  pointing  out  my  errors  I  was  dismissed. 

Wrong:  After  flunking  three  times,  the  professor  re- 
proved me. 

Wrong :  After  singing  hymn  523,  Mr.  Barnes  will  lead 
in  prayer. 


28       STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

Method  of         68.    Violations  of  the  foregoing  rule  may  be  corrected 

correction    ^^^j^g^,  ^^^  ]3y  changing  the  gerund  phrase  to  a  clause,  or 

(b)  by  making  the  noun  to  which    the  gerund   phrase 

logically  relates  the  subject  of  the  sentence  or  clause. 

Thus : 

Right :  (a)  As  I  was  talking  to  Smith  the  other  day,  he 
told  me  about  the  race  ;  [or]  (b)  In  talking  to  Smith 
the  other  day  I  learned  about  the  race. 

Right:  (a)  When  he  had  pointed  out  my  errors,  I  was 
dismissed  ;  [or]  (6)  After  pointing  out  my  errors  he 
dismissed  me. 

Right:  (a)  When  I  had  flunked  three  times,  the  pro- 
fessor reproved  me ;  [or]  (6)  After  flunking  three 
times,  I  was  reproved  by  the  professor. 

Right :  (a)  After  we  have  sung  hymn  523,  Mr.  Barnes 
will  lead  in  prayer  ;  [or]  (5)  After  singing  hymn  523, 
we  shall  be  led  in  prayer  by  Mr.  Barnes. 

Dangling  69.    An    elliptical   clause  (a  clause   from  which   the 

clauses  subject  and  predicate  are  omitted ;  e.g.,  while  going  for 
while  I  was  going,  ivhen  a  boy  for  when  he  was  a  boy) 
should  not  be  used  unless  the  omitted  subject  is  the  sub- 
ject of  the  governing  clause.      (See  Exercise  XXXI.) 

Wrong  :  When  six  years  old,  my  grandfather  died. 
Wrong:  You  must  not  cut  the  cake  until   thoroughly 
cooked. 

Method  of        70.    A  violation  of  the  foregoing  rule  may  be  corrected 
correction    -^y  supplying  the  subject  and  predicate  of  the  elliptical 
clause.     Thus : 

Right :  When  I  was  six  years  old,  my  grandfather  died. 
Right :  You  should  not  cut  the  cake  until  it  is  thoroughly 
cooked. 

Elliptical         71.    Rule  69  forbids  such  titles  as  An  Accident  WInle 
tifler^  ^^     Hunting,  Things  Learned  While  Canvassing,     Write 

rather  An  Accident  in  a  Bear  Hunt,  Things  Learned 

by  a  Canvasser, 


UNITY 


29 


Unity 

72.    A  sentence  should  be  so  composed  that  the  reader  General 
feels  it  to  be  a  unit.  principle 


State- 
ments un- 
connected 
in  thought 


73.  Two  or  more  statements  conspicuously  lacking 
connection  with  each  other  should  not  be  embodied  in 
one  sentence. 

Bad  :  Ferguson's  features  resemble  George  Washing- 
ton's, and  he  was  taken  into  custody. 

Right :  Ferguson  was  taken  into  custody.  His  features, 
by  the  way,  resemble  Washington's. 

Bad:  Mr.  Booth's  parents  were  early  settlers  in  this 
county.  .  .  .  After  leaving  West  Pointy  Mr.  Booths 
toho  loas  formerly  well  known  by  our  readers^  went  to 
the  Philippines. 

Right :  Mr.  Booth  was  formerly  well  known  by  our 
readers.  His  parents  were  early  settlers  in  this 
county.  .  .  .  After  leaving  West  Point,  Mr.  Booth 
went  to  the  Philippines. 

Note.  —  Sometimes  a  sentence  consisting  of  two  state- 
ments lacking  connection  with  each  other  may  be  corrected 
by  adding  words  and  rearranging  so  that  a  connection 
between  the  statements  is  established. 

Bad :  The  operation  of  an  incubator  is  simple,  but  no 
machine  will  work  well  unless  it  is  watched. 

Right  [unity  secured]  :  An  incubator  is  simple  in  opera- 
tion, but,  like  any  other  machine,  it  will  not  work 
well  unless  it  is  watched. 

74.  Long   compound   sentences   consisting   of   many  Stringy 


statements  strung  together  with   ancTs   and   hufs   are 
peculiarly  crude. 

Bad  :  The  court  often  gathered  to  watch  Van  Dyck  at 
work,  but  before  the  picture  was  finished  the  Revolu- 
tion broke  out  and  every  one  was  too  much  excited 
to  watch  its  progress,  but  it  went  on  just  the  same 
and  was  soon  finished,  and  it  remains  to  this  day  a 
brilliant  proof  of  the  painter's  skill. 


compound 
sentences 


30       STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

Right :  The  court  often  gathered  to  watch  Van  Dyck  at 
work.  Soon  the  revolution  broke  out.  The  picture 
was  forgotten  by  the  courtiers  in  their  excitement,  but 
the  painter  continued  to  work  at  it  and  soon  finished 
it.  It  remains  to  this  day  a  brilliant  proof  of  Van 
Dyck's  skill. 

Strag-  75.    Long,  straggling  sentences,  written  without  gram- 

tences^^^'    ^^^^^^^  P^^^  ^^^  incapable  of  making  a  single  definite 

impression  on  a  reader's  mind,  are  a  palpable  violation 

of  unity. 

Bad :  I  arrived  in  Grand  Rapids  at  ten  p.m.  after  ten 
hours  of  travel  and  was  met  at  the  train  by  my 
brother  who  greeted  me  in  a  very  pleasing  manner  after 
which  we  made  our  way  to  his  home  and  were  met 
at  the  door  by  his  wife  who  had  supper  ready  so  we 
did  it  justice  first  then  talked  about  home  affairs  and 
the  great  times  we  used  to  have  and  planned  for  a 
great  fishing  excursion  for  the  next  day. 

Right:  I  arrived  in  Grand  Rapids  at  ten  p.m.,  after 
ten  hours  of  travel.  My  brother  met  me  at  the  train 
with  due  cordiality  and  took  me  to  his  home.  At  the 
door  his  wife  met  us  with  the  good  news  that  supper 
was  ready.  After  supper  we  had  a  long  talk  about 
home  affairs  and  the  good  times  we  had  had.  Then 
we  formed  a  plan  for  a  fishing  trip  on  the  next  day. 

Unity  se-         Note.  —  A  sentence  may,  however,  be  long  without  violat- 

cured  by       jnpr  the  principle  of  unity.     Compare  the  two  following  sen- 
good  or-         ^       . 
ganiza-         fences . 

*^^"  1.   Tennyson's  poem  Lady  Clara  Vere  de  Vere  is  the 

speech  of  a  young  country  fellow  to  a  young  lady  ol 
high  birth  who  is  beautiful  but  a  heartless  coquette, 
having  attempted  to  ensnare  the  young  man  and  then 
cast  him  off  merely  to  amuse  herself,  as  she  has  done 
with  a  number  of  other  young  fellows,  one  of  whom, 
as  the  young  man  who  is  speaking  reminds  her,  com- 
mitted suicide  from  grief  at  her  cruelty,  which  makes 
the  young  man  who  is  speaking  despise  the  lady,  for 
he  tells  her  that  he  cares  neither  for  her  beauty  nor 
for  her  high  birth,  since  she  has  no  goodness  of  heart. 


UNITY  31 

and  he  solemnly  tells  her  she  ought  to  cease  amusing 
herself  by  her  coquetry  and  to  ''pray  Heaven  for  a 
human  heart." 
2.  Tennyson's  poem  Lady  Clara  Vers  de  Vere  is  the 
speech  of  a  manly  young  country  fellow  to  a  beautiful 
but  heartless  young  lady  of  high  birth,  who  has  at- 
tempted to  amuse  herself  by  breaking  his  heart,  —  a 
speech  expressing  disdain  for  charms  beneath  which 
there  is  no  goodness  of  heart,  and  contempt  for  hered- 
itary rank  of  which  the  possessor  lacks  true  virtue 
and  honor ;  reminding  the  lady  of  the  suicide  of 
another  country  lad,  whom  she  had  enticed  by  feigned 
affection  and  then  cruelly  repudiated ;  and  solemnly 
adjuring  her  to  cease  her  unworthy  and  injurious 
diversion,  to  turn  her  leisure  to  some  good  end,  and 
to  "pray  Heaven  for  a  human  heart." 

The  first  sentence  is  long  and  straggling ;  it  is  a  glaring 
violation  of  unity.  The  second  is  nearly  as  long  as  the  first 
but  it  is  not  straggling  ;  it  is  composed  upon  a  definite  and 
clearly  apparent  grammatical  plan  ;  it  does  not  violate  the 
principle  of  unity.  In  the  grammatical  organization  that 
gives  the  second  sentence  unity  in  spite  of  its  unusual  length, 
parallelism  is  an  important  factor  (see  Rule  111).  Observe 
that  the  sentence  consists  of  a  single  main  subject  and  pred- 
icate, and  depending  on  that  subject  and  predicate  a  number 
of  parallel  members,  — that  is,  members  grammatically  alike 
and  introduced  alike  ;  and  that  two  of  these  members  have 
parallelism  within  themselves,  —  that  is,  consist  of  a  single 
word  or  phrase  as  a  basis  and  of  a  series  of  parallel  mem- 
bers in  a  common  relation  to  that  basis.  This  parallelism 
in  the  second  sentence  may  be  made  clear  by  the  following 
diagram  : 

'i    ^^^v.^oo,-v,«     (  «•  disdain 
1.  expressmg     ]  ^^  contempt 


Tennyson's  poem  . 
speech 


2.  reminding 

3.  adjuring  her 


a.  to  cease 

b.  to  turn 

c.  to  pray 

(See  Exercise  XL.) 


76.    Avoid  abrupt  change  m  the  point  of  view  withm  Change  of 
^  ^  ^  point  of 

a  sentence.  view 


32        STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

Bad :  We  passed  over  the  road  quickly  and  soon  the 
camp  was  reached.  [At  the  beginning  of  the  sen- 
tence, the  point  of  view  is  that  of  the  travelers ;  after 
''  and"  the  point  of  view  is  that  of  the  camp.] 

Right:  We  passed  over  the  road  quickly  and  soon 
reached  the  camp.  [The  point  of  view  of  the  trav- 
elers is  kept  throughout.] 

Bad  :  In  order  to  clean  the  chain,  it  should  be  removed 
and  soaked  in  kerosene.  [At  the  beginning,  the  point 
of  view  is  that  of  the  person  who  does  the  cleaning ; 
after  the  comma  the  point  of  view  is  that  of  the  object 
to  be  cleaned.] 

Right :  In  order  to  clean  the  chain,  remove  it  and  soak 
it  in  kerosene  [the  point  of  view  of  the  person  who 
cleans  the  chain  is  kept  throughout]  ;  [or]  In  order 
that  the  chain  may  be  thoroughly  cleansed,  it  should 
be  removed  and  soaked  in  kerosene  [the  point  of 
view  of  the  chain  is  kept  throughout]. 

Order  of  Members 

Position  of  77.  Every  modifier  should  be  so  placed  that  the  reader 
modifiers :  connects  it  immediately  with  the  member  it  modifies,  and 
General  not  with  some  other  member.  The  possibility  of  even 
^  momentary  doubt  or  of  ludicrous  misinterpretation,  as  well 

as  real  obscurity  regarding  the  application  of  a  modifier, 
should  be  avoided.     (See  Exercise  XXXII.) 

Bad :  The  storm  broke  just  as  we  reached  the  shore 

with  great  violence. 
Right :  Just  as  we  reached  the  shore,  the  stonn  broke 

with  great  violence. 
Bad  :  The  ball  is  thrown  home  by  a  player  stationed  in 

the  middle  of  the  square  called  the  pitcher. 
Right :  The  ball  is  thrown  home  by  a  player  called  the 

pitcher,  who  is  stationed  in  the  middle  of  the  square. 

Position  of  78.  Be  especially  careful  to  place  the  adverbs  only, 
the  ad-  merely,  just,  almost,  ever,  hardly,  scarcely,  quite, 
only,  aU  nearly^  next  to  the  words  they  modify,  not  elsewhere. 
(See  Exercise  XXXIII.) 


most,  etc. 


ORDER   OF  MEMBERS  33 

A.  Wrong  :  It  is  the  handsomest  vase  I  almost  ever  saw. 
Right :  It  is  almost  the  handsomest  vase  I  ever  saw. 

B.  Wrong  :  Do  you  ever  expect  to  go  again  ? 
Right ;  Do  you  expect  ever  to  go  again  ? 

C.  Wrong :  I  never  remember  having  met  him.     [Here 

**ever"    is  misplaced    and   made   to   modify   the 
wrong  word,  for  nexier  =  not  ever."] 
Right :  I  do  not  remember  ever  having  met  him. 
2>.   Wrong :  I  only  want  three. 
Right :  I  want  only  three. 
E.  Wrong  :  It  is  the  prettiest  I  nearly  ever  saw. 
Right :  It  is  nearly  the  prettiest  I  ever  saw. 

79.  A  modifying  clause  should  not  be  so  placed  that  Misplaced 
a  verb  following  it  may,  in  reading,  be  erroneously  joined  clauses 
with  the  verb  of  the  clause,  instead  of  with  the  verb  pre- 
ceding the  clause. 

Ill  arranged :  I  walked  out  into  the  night  as  the  moon 

rose  and  wandered  through  the  grounds. 
Clear :  As  the  moon  rose,  I  walked  out  into  the  night 

and  wandered  through  the  grounds. 
Ill  arranged :  He  sprang  to  the  platform  on  which  the 

dead  man  lay  and  shouted. 
Clear  :  Springing  to  the  platform  on  which  the   dead 

man  lay,  he  shouted. 
Bad :  A  terrible  wind  and  thunder  storm  visited  the 

Fourth  Regiment  camp  Thursday  night,  shortly  after 

taps  were  sounded,  playing  havoc  on  all  sides. 
Right :  On    Thursday    night,   shortly    after    taps   was 

sounded,  a  violent  wind  and  thunder  storm  visited 

the  Fourth  Regiment  camp,  playing  havoc  on  all  sides. 

80.  As  a  rule,  arrange  a  sentence  containing  a  relative   Position 
clause  so  that  the  clause  immediately  follows  its  ante-  ^^^^ 
cedent.  clauses 

Awkward  :  I  had  many  pleasant  experiences  while  I 
was  there,  some  of  which  I  shall  always  remember. 

Better  :  While  I  was  there,  I  had  many  pleasant  experi- 
ences, some  of  which  I  shall  always  remember. 


34 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


Squinting 
modifiers 


Paren- 
thetic 
position  of 
modifiers 


Awkward :  The  correspondence  began  just  one  month 

later  which  led  to  the  surrender. 
Better :  Just  one  month  later  began  the  correspondence 

which  led  to  the  surrender. 

Note.  — It  may  happen  that  a  sentence  containing  a  rela- 
tive clause  cannot  be  arranged  according  to  the  foregoing 
rule.  In  such  a  case  it  is  often  necessary,  for  clearness,  to 
use  two  separate  sentences  or  two  coordinate  clauses. 

Bad  :  The  police  are  looking  to-day  for  the  persons  last 
in  company  with  Clara  Belinfant,  the  daughter  of 
Abraham  Belinfant,  a  rich  New  York  merchant,  who 
has  been  missing  since  July  18. 
Right:  The  police  are  looking  to-day  for  the  persons 
last  seen  in  company  with  Clara  Belinfant,  the 
daughter  of  Abraham  Belinfant,  a  rich  New  York 
merchant.     The  girl  has  been  missing  since  July  18. 

81.  Do  not  place  between  two  members  of  a  sentence 
a  modifier  applicable  to  either  member.  Do  not  trust 
to  punctuation  to  show  the  application  of  the  modifier ; 
recast  the  sentence. 

Defective  :  He  declared  that  if  they  did  not  release 
Blount,  the  English  envoy,  within  two  hours,  in  spite 
of  all  protest  he  would  shell  the  town. 

Right :  He  declared  that  if  within  two  hours  they  did 
not  release  Blount,  the  English  envoy,  he  would,  in 
spite  of  all  protest,  shell  the  town  ;  [or,  if  *'  within 
two  hours  "  is  intended  to  modify  "  shell  the  town"] 
He  declared  that  if  they  did  not  release  Blount,  the 
English  envoy,  he  would  shell  the  town  within  two 
hours,  in  spite  of  all  protest. 

Defective  :  The  coroner's  jury  which  has  been  investi- 
gating the  death  of  the  girl  to-day  brought  in  a  ver- 
dict of  suicide. 

Right :  The  coroner's  jury  which  has  been  investigating 
the  death  of  the  girl  brought  in  to-day  a  verdict  of 
suicide. 

82.  A  modifier  of  one  of  the  clauses  of  a  sentence 
may  often  with  advantage  be  inserted  within  the  clause 
it  modifies  rather  than  placed  before  or  after.     Thus ; 


ORDER  OF  MEMBERS 


35 


Clear  and  forcible  :  If,  after  all  that  has  been  said,  you 
still  hesitate,  I  despair  of  persuading  you. 

83.  It  is  often  advantageous  to  place  liowever,  there-  Paren- 
fore,  nevertheless,  moreover,  and  the  like,  within  the 
sentences  they  introduce  rather  than  at  the  beginning. 

Inferior  :  His  master  was  always  very  kind  to  him. 
However,  his  master's  wife  was  altogether  too  parsi- 
monious. 

Better:  His  master  was  always  very  kind  to  him.  His 
master's  wife,  however,  was  altogether  too  parsimoni- 
ous. 

84.  Two  phrases  or  clauses  modifying  the  same  sen-  Separa- 
tence  element  should  not  be  placed  one  before  and  the 
other  after  that  element ;  they  should  be  put  together. 

Awkward  :  When  he  has  once  made  up  his  mind,  you 

may  be  sure  he  will  never  draw  back  when  he  has 

got  fully  started. 
Right :  When  he  has  once  made  up  his  mind  and  got 

fully  started,  you  may  be  sure   he  will  never  draw 

back. 

85.  Do  not  put  an  adverb  or  a  phrase  between  an  in-   Split 
finitive  and  its  sign  to,     (See  Exercise  XXXIV.)  infinitives 

Inelegant :  I  went  there  in  order  to  personally  inspect 

it. 
Right :  I  went  there  in  order  to  inspect  it  personally. 
Inelegant  :  It  is  impossible  to  in  any  way  remove  them. 
Right :  It  is  impossible  in  any  way  to  remove  them. 

86.  Arrange  the  members  of  a  sentence  so  that  the   Smooth 
sentence  reads  smoothly,  when  this  arrangement  does  not  ^^^®^ 
impair  clearness. 

Awkward  :  He,  instead  of  acting  as  my  guide,  followed 

me. 
Right :  Instead  of  acting  as  my  guide  he  followed  me. 
Awkward :  Fishing  was  not  good,  and  they,  becoming 

impatient,  decided  to  quit. 


86 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


Right :  Fishing  was  not  good,  and  becoming  impatient 
they  decided  to  quit. 

Note.  —  This  principle  is  violated  by  interposing  a  num- 
ber of  words  between  a  preposition  and  its  object,  so  that 
an  awkward  pause  occurs  after  the  preposition. 

Awkward :  He  submitted  to,  though  he  did  not  fully 

approve  of,  the  rules. 
Better:  He  submitted  to  the  rules,  though  he  did  not 

fully  approve  of  them. 

See  also  the  first  Bight  example  under  Rule  90  e. 

Such  a  construction  may  be  used,  for  the  sake  of  brevity, 
in  statutes,  contracts,  and  the  like,  in  which  smoothness  of 
style  is  of  little  consequence. 

"The  Congress  shall  have  power  to  dispose  of,  and 
make  all  needful  rules  and  regulations  respecting,  the 
territory  .  .  .  belonging  to  the  United  States."  —  The 
Federal  Constitution. 

Except  in  such  a  context,  the  harshness  of  the  construction 

more  than  offsets  the  gain  in  compactness. 

87.  Arrange  the  members  of  a  sentence  so  as  to 
form  close  connection  with  the  preceding  sentence. 

Inferior:  He  wished  to  examine  the  planet  Mars,  then 

in  the  western  part  of  the  sky.    He  began  to  turn  the 

telescope  in  order  to  do  this. 
Better:  He  wished  to  examine  the   planet  Mars,  then 

in  the  western  part  of  the  sky.    In  order  to  do  this, 

he  began  to  turn  the  telescope. 

88.  For  force,  close  sentences  strongly;  put  unim- 
portant phrases  elsewhere  than  at  the  end. 

Inferior:  Then  he  would  return  to   work,  whistling 

merry  tune  all  the  while. 
Better:  Then  he  would  return  to  work,  all  the  while 

whistling  a  merry  tune. 
Inferior:  He  said  nothing,  but  kept  looking  at  my  neck 

for  some  reason  or  other. 
Better :  He  said  nothing,  but  for  some  reason  or  other 

kept  looking  at  my  neck. 


INCORRECT  OMISSIONS  37 

Note. — The  foregoing  rule  does  not  concern  a  matter  of   A  sen- 
correct  or  incorrect  practice,  but  merely  a  matter  of  greater   tence 
or  less  rhetorical  effectiveness.     The  common  belief  that  a   ^^^^  ^ 
sentence  ending  with  a  preposition  is  on  that  account  incor-   preposi- 
rect  is  a  mistake;  such  sentences  abound  in  good  litera-   tion 
ture ;  e.g., 

"I  will  not  say  that  the  meaning  of    Shakespeare's 

names  .  .  .  may  be  entirely  lost  sight  of.'' — Arnold. 
*'M.  Planche's  advantage  is  .  .  .  that  there  is  a  force 

of  cultivated  opinion  for  him  to  appeal  to."  —  Arnold. 

Moreover,  such  sentences,  as  Professor  Hill  remarks,  *'do 
not  contravene  the  principle  which  forbids  a  writer  to  throw 
stress  on  unimportant  words ;  for  ...  the  stress  is 
thrown,  not  on  the  last  word,  but  on  the  next  to  the  last." 

89.  A  series  of  assertions  or  modifiers  noticeably  vary-  Climactie 
ing  in  strength  should  be  placed  in  climactic  order,  unless  ^^  ®^ 
the  writer  intends  to  make  an  anticlimax  for  the  sake  of 
humor. 

Weak :  I  think  that  the  characters  are  well  drawn,  the 
diction  is  stately  and  beautiful,  and  the  plot  is  very 
interesting. 

Improved :  I  think  that  the  plot  is  very  interesting,  the 
characters  are  well  drawn,  and  the  diction  is  stately 
and  beautiful. 

Weak :  He  proved  himself  to  be  mercilessly  cruel  at 
times,  unforgiving,  and  discourteous. 

Improved :  He  proved  himself  to  be  unforgiving,  dis- 
courteous, and  at  times  mercilessly  cruel. 

Incorrect  Omissions 

90.  A  word  or  a  combination  of  words  may  often  be  Words 
correctly  used  in  a  double  capacity  if  it  is  perfectly  fitted  ^^u^je^  ^ 
for  both   the   otfices   it   serves.     For   example,    in   the  capacity 
sentence,  "  I  can  do  it  as  well  as  you,"  "  can  do  it "  serves 

as  the  predicate  of  both  "  I "  and  "you,"  and  does  so  cor- 
rectly, since  it  agrees  grammatically  with  both  pronouns. 
But  there  are  various  ways  of  using  words  in  a  double 


38 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


Auxilia- 
ries and 
copulas  in 
a  double 
capacity 


Be  as  both 
principal 
and  auxil- 
iary 


Principal 
verbs  in  a 
double 
capacity 


Than  or 
as  clause 
in  a  double 
capacity 


capacity  that  are  incorrect;  these  are  indicated  in  the 
following  rules : 

(a)  Do  not  supply  an  auxiliary  verb  or  a  copula  from 
one  part  of  a  sentence  to  another  if  the  same  form  is  not 
grammatically  proper  in  both  parts;  write  the  proper 
form  with  each  part. 

Wrong  :  The  fire  was  built  and  the  potatoes  baked. 
Right ;  The  fire  was  built  and  the  potatoes  were  baked. 
Wrong :  He  was  a  patriot,  but  all  the  rest  traitors. 
Right :  He  was  a  patriot,  but  all  the  rest  were  traitors. 

Note.  —  The  supplying  of  an  auxiliary  from  one  clause  to 
another  is  likely  to  produce  an  awkward  sentence  in  most 
cases,  even  when  there  is  no  violation  of  the  foregoing  prin- 
ciple.    As  a  rule,  repeat  an  auxiliary  rather  than  supply  it. 

Awkward :  She   was  taken  by  surprise   and  a  pistol 

thrust  into  her  face. 
Better :  She  was   taken  by   surprise,  and  a  pistol  was 

thrust  into  her  face.     [  See  Rule  221  /.] 

(h)  Do  not  make  a  single  form  of  the  verb  he  serve 
both  as  a  principal  and  as  an  auxiliary  verb. 

Wrong :  At  first  the  drill  was  interesting  and  liked  by 

most  of  the  men. 
Right :  At  first  the  drill  was  interesting  and  was  liked 

by  most  of  the  men. 

(c)  Do  not  supply  a  principal  verb  from  one  part  of  a 
sentence  to  another  if  the  same  form  is  not  grammatically 
proper  in  both  parts ;  write  the  proper  form  for  each  part. 

Wrong :  He  did  what  many  others  have  and  are  doing. 
Right:  He  did  what  many  others  have  done  and  are 

doing. 
Wrong:  We  ate  such  a  dinner  as  only  laborers  can. 
Right :  We  ate  such  a  dinner  as  only  laborers  can  eat 

{d)  Two  expressions  of  comparison,  the  one  an  adjec- 
tive preceded  by  as,  the  other  an  adjective  in  the  com- 
parative degree,  should  not  both  be  completed  by  a  single 


INCORRECT  OMISSIONS  .39 

as  clause  or  a  single  than  clause,  unless  that  clause  im- 
mediately follows  the  expression  of  comparison  that 
stands  first  in  the  sentence. 

Wrong:  Fostoria  is  as  large,  if  not  larger,  than  Dela- 
ware. 
Right :  Fostoria  is  as  large  as  Delaware,  if  not  larger. 
Wrong :  He  is  bigger  and  fully  as  strong  as  Buck. 
Right ;  He  is  bigger  than  Buck  and  fully  as  strong. 

(e)  Aside  from  cases  covered  by  Rule  d,  above,  two  Other 

sentence-elements   should  never  be  limited   by  a  single  P^^^ifiers 

modifying  phrase  or  clause  unless  that  modifier  is  idio-  double 

maticaUy  adapted  to  both.  capacity 

Wrong  :  He  had  no  love  or  confidence  in  his  employer. 

Right :  He  had  no  love  for,  or  confidence  in,  his  em- 
ployer. [The  foregoing  is  correct,  but  awkward  ;  the 
following  is  better  :]  He  had  no  love  for  his  employer 
and  no  confidence  in  him. 

Wrong :  I  shall  always  remember  the  town  because  of 
the  good  times  and  the  many  friends  I  made  there. 

Right :  I  shall  always  remember  the  town  because  of  the 
good  times  I  had  and  the  many  friends  I  made  there. 

Wrong :  He  acquired  a  knowledge  and  keen  interest  in 
chess. 

Right :  He  acquired  a  knowledge  of  chess  and  a  keen 
interest  in  it. 

(/)  Two  incomplete  members  of  a  sentence,  the  one 
requiring  to  complete  it  a  singular  noun,  the  other  re- 
quiring a  plural  noun,  should  not  both  be  completed  by 
one  noun,  unless  that  noun  immediately  follows  the  in- 
complete member  that  stands  first  in  the  sentence. 

Wrong :  One  of  the  greatest,  if  not  the  greatest,  generals 

of  America. 
Right :  One  of  the  greatest  generals  of  America,  if  not 

the  greatest. 

(g)  The  expressions  as  to,  in  regard  to,  in  respect  to 
are  equivalent  to  single  prepositions ;  for  example,  in  the 


40 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


To  (in  as 
to,  in  re- 
gard to, 
etc.)  used 
in  a 
double 
capacity 


Omission 
of  articles 
and  pos- 
sessives 


Omission 
of  prepo- 
sitions 


sentence  "  A  dispute  arose  in  regard  to  the  presidency,** 
"in  regard  to"  is  equivalent  to  about  or  concerning. 
Such  expressions  are  therefore  called  preposition-phrases 
(a  term  not  to  be  confused  with  the  term  prepositional 
phrases) .  These  preposition -phrases  often  have  clauses 
for  objects ;  e.g.,  in  the  sentence  "  A  dispute  arose  as  to 
who  was  president,"  the  object  of  the  preposition-phrase 
"as  to"  is  the  clause  "who  was  president."  When  as 
to,  in  regard  to,  or  in  respect  to  thus  governs  a  clause, 
the  to  should  not  be  made  to  govern  a  substantive  within 
the  clause. 

Wrong :  A  dispute  arose  as  to  whom  the  honor  should 

belong. 
Right:  A  dispute  arose  as  to  who  should  receive  the 

honor.     [See  Rule  33  5.] 

91.  As  a  rule,  repeat  an  article  or  a  possessive  adjec- 
tive before  each  noun  in  a  series,  unless  all  the  nouns  des- 
ignate the  same  thing. 

Wrong  :  Near  by  are  a  grocery,  drug  store,  barber  shop, 
and  smithy. 

Right:  Near  by  are  a  grocery  store,  a  drug  store,  a  bar- 
ber shop,  and  a  smithy. 

Wrong :    She    watched    her    grandmother,   aunt,   and 

mother  sewing. 
Right :  She  watched  her  grandmother,  her  aunt,  and  her 

mother  sewing. 

Wrong:  I  asked  what  were  the  names  of  her  puppies 

and  kitten. 
Right :  I  asked  what  were  the  names  of  her  puppies  and 

her  kitten. 

92.  As  a  rule,  a  noun  should  not  be  used  without  a 
preposition,  to  indicate  adverbially  the  time  of  an  occur- 
rence. 

Bad :  The  preceding  summer  I  went  to  England. 
Right :  In  the  preceding  summer  I  went  to  England. 


COORDINATION  41 

Bad :  I  was  born  the  third  of  May,  1881. 
Right :  I  was  born  on  the  third  of  May,  1881. 
Bad  :  The  race  will  occur  Saturday. 
Right :  The  race  will  occur  on  Saturday. 

Note.  —  Exception  to  this  rule  may  be  made  in  the  case   Permis- 
of  such  expressions  as  last  year,  last  month,  last  night,  last   ^i^^®.  ®^" 
Saturday,  next  year,  next  day,  next  Tuesday,  some  day,  one   ^^^  ^^^^ 
day,  any  day,  that  day,  this  day,  this  afternoon  ;  but  do  not 
make  an  exception  for  an  expression  (like  those  in  the  Bad 
examples  above)  which  you  do  not  know  to  be  a  well-estab- 
lished idiom. 

93.  Do  not  make  comparisons  leaving  the  standard  of  Uncom- 
comparison  not  indicated  or  only  vaguely  implied;   let  compari- 
the  standard  be  definitely  stated  or  implied.  sons 

Incomplete  :  Manufacturers  have  come  to  see  the  greater 

economy  of  the  electric  motor. 
Right :  Manufacturers  have   come  to  see  the  greater 

economy  of  the  electric  motor  as  compared  to  steam 

power. 

Godrdination 

94.  A  dependent  sentence-member  should  not  be  joined  Misuse  of 
by  and  or  hut  to  the  member  on  which  it  depends.  ?ne^^on-^*^ 

Wrong :  He  put  up  signs  to  keep  people  off  the  grass  J^^ctions 
and  thereby  improving  the  appearance  of  the  campus. 

Right :  He  put  up  signs  to  keep  people  off  the  grass, 
thereby  improving  the  appearance  of  the  campus. 

95.  Do  not  join  a  relative  clause  to  its  principal  clause  **  And 

by  and  or  hut.  which" 

*'  construc- 

Bad :  He  came  home  with  an  increase  in  weight,  but   *^^^ 
which  hard  work  soon  reduced. 

Bad  :  On  the  way  we  met  a  Mr.  Osborn  from  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Denver  and  who  had  the  typical  western 
breeziness. 

96.  Violations  of  the  foregoing  rule  may  be  corrected  Method  of 
by  (a)  omitting  the  conjunction,  (6)  changing  the  rela-  correction 


42        STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

tive  clause  to  a  principal  clause,  or  (c)  inserting  a  rela< 
tive  clause  before  the  conjunction.     Thus : 

Right :  (a)  He  came  home  with  an  increase  in  weight, 
which,  however,  hard  work  soon  reduced ;  [or]  (6) 
He  came  home  with  an  increase  in  weight,  but  hard 
work  soon  reduced  it. 

Right :  (a)  On  the  way  we  met  a  Mr.  Osborn  from  the 
neighborhood  of  Denver,  who  had  the  typical  western 
breeziness;  [or]  (c)  On  the  way  we  met  a  Mr.  Os- 
born, who  came  from  the  neighborhood  of  Denver, 
and  who  had  the  typical  western  breeziness. 

Illogical  97.    An  assertion  should  not  be  joined  by  and,  but,  or 

tion        "     ^^  *^  ^  preceding  assertion  with  which  it  is  not  logically 

coordinate.      Subordinate  thoughts  should  be  put  into 

subordinate  grammatical  forms.    (See  Exercise  XXXVI.) 

Bad  :  The  sheets  of  tin  are  laid  in  rows,  and  care  is 
taken  that  all  the  sheets  fit  snugly.  [The  statement 
after  *' and"  is  logically  subordinate  to  the  statement 
preceding,  but  is  made  grammatically  coordinate.] 

Right :  The  sheets  of  tin  are  laid  in  rows,  with  care  that 
all  the  sheets  fit  snugly. 

Bad  :  This  is  done  by  a  chemical  which  has  the  property 
of  absorbing  oxygen  and  giving  it  off  again  ;  or  in  other 
words,  it  is  a  carrier  of  oxygen.  ["It  is  a  carrier  of 
oxygen"  is  made  grammatically  parallel  to  '*This  is 
done  by  a  chemical ;  "  whereas  the  assertion  that  the 
chemical  is  a  carrier  of  oxygen  is  logically  subordinate 
to  the  assertion  that  the  work  is  done  by  a  chemical.] 

Right :  This  is  done  by  a  chemical  which  has  the  prop- 
erty of  absorbing  oxygen  and  giving  it  off  again  —  or, 
in  other  words,  by  a  carrier  of  oxygen. 

Juvenile  :  It  was  a  fine  frosty  morning  and  two  seniors 

were  walking  toward  college. 
Right :  On  a  fine  frosty  morning  two  seniors,  etc. 
Juvenile  :  She  sat  on  the  ground  dressed  in  a  pretty 

frock,  and  her  dog  was  in  her  lap. 
Right :  She  sat  on  the  ground  dressed  in  a  pretty  frock. 

holding  her  dog  in  her  lap. 


COORDINATION  43 

Juvenile  :  Their  books  were  rolls  of  paper  and  only  one 

side  was  written  on. 
Right ;  Their  books  were  rolls  of  paper,  only  one  side 

of  which  was  written  on. 
Juvenile  :  He  made  an  interesting  speech  and  it  lasted 

an  hour. 
Right :  He  made  an  interesting  speech  an  hour  long. 

Note.  — The  lack  of  force  and  grace  by  which  the  style    Excessive 
of  an  inexperienced  writer  is  apt  to  be  characterized  is  due    coordina- 
largely  to  indiscriminate  coordination.     This  fault  in  writ-     ^^^ 
ing  is  like  want  of  perspective  in  drawing.     In  a  picture 
drawn  by  an  unskillful  person  all  the  objects  usually  appear 
to  be  at  the  same  distance  from  the  observer  ;  in  one  drawn 
by  an  artist  the  objects  appear  at  various  distances.     In 
somewhat  the  same  way,  a  style  which  uniformly  connects 
statements  by  coordinating  conjunctions  differs  from  one 
which  employs  a  variety  of  subordinating  devices.     (See  Ex- 
ercise XXXVII.) 

98.  The  adverbs  so,  then,  and  also  should  not  be  used   So,  then, 
to  join  coordinate  verbs  in  a  sentence ;  for  this  purpose   uged^to^ 

a  conjunction  {and  or  hut)  must  be  used  in  addition  to  join  verbs 
the  adverb. 

Wrong :  He  was  only  one  among  many  so  was  not 

observed. 
Right :  He  was  only  one  among  many  and  so  was  not 

observed. 

Wrong :  I  paddled  the  boat  for  a  while,  then  fell  into  a 

reverie. 
Right :  I  paddled  the  boat  for  a  while  and  then  fell  into 

a  reverie. 

99.  The  use  of  the  adverb  so  for  the  purpose  of  com-  The  so 
pounding  sentences  {e.g.,  "The  clerk  was  incompetent,  so  ^^^^* 
the  governor  removed  him  from  office  ")  is  a  form  of  ex- 
pression rarely  found  in  good  literature.     If  so  is  used  as 

a  connective,  the  sentence  it  introduces  should  be  set  off 
from  the  preceding  one  by  a  period  or  a  semicolon.  (See 
Rule  231  h.)     Even  this  correct  use  of  so,  hcwever,  sug- 


44 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


Two  but's 
or /or 's 


Method  of 
correction 


Clearness 
of  coordi- 
nation 


gests  immaturity  if  it  occurs  frequently.  It  is  advisable, 
in  nearly  all  cases  where  one  has  used  so  as  a  connective, 
to  subordinate  the  preceding  statement  and  to  omit  the 
so,    (See  Exercise  XXXVIII.) 

Incorrect  and  crude  :  His  wife  thought  he  would  be 
thirsty  so  she  brought  a  pitcher  of  water. 

Correct  but  undesirable  :  His  wife  thought  he  would  be 
thirsty  ;  so  she  brought  a  pitcher  of  water. 

Preferable  :  His  wife,  thinking  he  would  be  thirsty, 
brought  a  pitcher  of  water. 

Incorrect  and  crude  :  The  people  were  opposed  to  him 
for  some  unknown  reason,  so  he  had  to  accomplish 
his  purpose  through  secret  agents. 

Correct  but  undesirable  :  The  people  were  opposed  to 
hira  for  some  unknown  reason.  So  he  had  to  accom- 
plish his  purpose  through  secret  agents. 

Preferable  :  Since  the  people  were,  for  some  unknown 
reason,  opposed  to  him,  he  was  compelled  to  accom- 
plish his  purpose  through  secret  agents. 

100.  Two  consecutive  statements  should  not  both  be 
introduced  by  but  or  for. 

Bad  :  lago  became  fond  of  Desdemona  but  she  paid  no 
attention  to  him  but  seemed  to  favor  Cassio. 

Bad  :  He  suddenly  paused,  for  it  seemed  wonderful 
that  he  could  speak  so  easily,  for  usually  he  was 
bashful. 

101.  Violations  of  the  foregoing  rule  may  usually  be 
corrected  by  omitting  the  first  but  or  for.     Thus  : 

Right  :  lago  became  fond  of  Desdemona.  She  paid  no 
attention  to  him  but  seemed  to  favor  Cassio. 

Right :  He  suddenly  paused  ;  it  seemed  wonderful  that 
he  could  speak  so  easily,  for  usually  he  was  bashful. 

102.  In  the  case  of  several  coordinate  sentence  mem- 
bers that  are  somewhat  long  or  complex,  care  should  be 
taken  to  make  the  relation  between  the  members  imme- 
diately apparent  to  the  reader,  so  that,  in  beginning  any 


COORDINATION 


45 


member  after  the  first,  he  shall  instantly  coordinate  it   General 
with  the  right  member  preceding.     To  this   end,    the  P^i^^^P^® 
members   should   be  introduced  in  a  similar,    often  an 
identical,  manner. 

Obscure  coordination  :  Then  I  learned  how  he  had  run 
away  from  his  father,  a  gypsy  vagabond  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  a  horse-trader  and  was  in  reality  a  thief, 
dressed  in  some  clothes  that  he  found  on  a  scarecrow 
in  a  cornfield,  learned  the  way  to  my  home  through 
the  map  in  an  old  railway  time-table,  and  come  all 
the  way  on  foot.  [This  sentence  is  well  constructed  ; 
its  defect  is  that  the  relation  between  the  coordinate 
members  is  not  shown  by  similar  beginnings.] 

Clear  coordination  :  Then  I  learned  how  he  had  run 
away  from  his  father,  a  gypsy  vagabond  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  a  horse-trader  and  was  in  reality  a  thief  ; 
how  he  had  dressed  in  some  clothes  that  he  found  on 
a  scarecrow  in  a  cornfield  ;  how  he  had  learned  the 
way  to  my  home  through  the  map  in  an  old  railway 
time-table,  and  had  come  all  the  way  on  foot. 

The  foregoing  principle  has  many  different  applications. 
The  following  are  worthy  of  special  mention  : 

103.   A  preposition  governing  several  objects  should  Repetition 

be  repeated  with  each   object  after  the  first,   when  the  of  prepo- 

•         o   ^  1  •  111        •  1     •        sitions 

construction  of  those  objects  would  otherwise  not  be  im- 
mediately clear. 

A.  Not  immediately  clear :  The  place  is  often  visited  by 

tourists  who  are  fond  of  rugged   scenery,    and    es- 
pecially amateur  photographers. 
Right  :  The  place  is  often  visited  by  tourists  who  are 
fond  of  rugged  scenery,  and  especially  by  amateur 
photographers. 

B.  Not  immediately  clear :  With  the  refusal   of  Mr.  Gog- 

gins  to  accept  the  oflSce  left  vacant  by  the  resignation 
of  Mr.  Barnes  and  the  presence  of  Governor  Davidson 
in  the  city,  the  friends  of  Mr.  Roemer  were  kept  busy 
yesterday. 


46       STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

Clear :  With  the  refusal  of  Mr.  Goggins  to  accept  the 
ofiSce  left  vacant  by  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Barnes, 
and  with  the  presence  of  Governor  Davidson  in  the 
city,  the  friends  of  Mr.  Roemer  were  kept  busy  yes- 
terday. 

Note — When   the  objects  stand  close  together,  repeti- 
tion is  usually  unnecessary  ;  e.g.^  — 

Right  :  He  had  lived  in  Cuba,  Panama,  and  Barbadoes, 
Right :  It  was  exposed  to  the  wind,  the  rain,  and  the 
scorching  sun. 

But  when  the  objects  are  separated  by  intervening  modifi- 
ers, as  in  sentences  A  and  B,  clearness  usually  requires 
that  the  preposition  be  repeated. 

Repetition  104.  An  infinitive-sign  (to)  introducing  several  coor- 
infinUive-  ^^iii^'^G  infinitives,  should  be  repeated  with  each  infinitive 
sign  after  the  first,  when  the  construction  of  those  infinitives 

would  otherwise  not  be  immediately  clear. 

A.  Not  immediately  clear :  Here  nature  has  done  her  best 
to  enchant  those  that  can  see  and  feel,  and 'make 
them  her  lifelong  worshipers. 
Right :  Here  nature  has  done  her  best  to  enchant  those 
that  can  see  and  feel,  and  to  make  them  her  lifelong 
worshipers. 

Note.  —  When  the  infinitives  stand  close  together,  repe- 
tition of  the  to  is  usually  not  necessary  ;  e.g. ,  — 

Right :  Has  he  learned  to  dance,  converse,  and  make 
himself  agreeable  ? 

But  when  the  infinitives  are  separated  by  intervening  ad- 
juncts, as  in  sentence  A  above,  repetition  of  the  to  is  usu- 
ally necessary  to  clearness. 

Repetition        105.    A  subordinating  conjunction  introducing  several 

dinaUnff"  coordinate  assertions  should  be  repeated  with  each  asser- 

conjunc-  tion  after  the  first,  when  the  coordination  of  those  asser- 

^^°®  tions  would  otherwise  not  be  immediately  clear. 


SUBORDINATION  47 

Obscure  coordination :  When  they  saw  the  excellent 
structure  which,  though  handicapped  by  the  strike 
and  the  difficulty  of  getting  materials,  he  had  yet 
completed  in  less  than  the  required  time,  and  con- 
sidered how  valuable  such  a  man  would  be  to  them, 
they  gave  him  a  permanent  position. 

Clear  coordination :  When  they  saw  the  excellent 
structure  which,  though  handicapped  by  the  strike 
and  the  difficulty  of  getting  materials,  he  had  yet 
completed  in  less  than  the  required  time,  and  when 
they  considered  how  valuable  such  a  man  would  be  to 
them,  they  gave  him  a  permanent  position. 

Note. —  When  the  coordinate  assertions  are  very  short, 
repetition  of  the  conjunction  is  usually  not  necessary  ;  e.^.,— 

Right :  He  seems  to  be  pretty  well,  though  he  takes  no 
exercise  and  neglects  his  diet. 

It  is  only  when  the  assertions  are  complex  that  repetition 
of  the  conjunction  is  necessary. 


Subordination 

106.   Do  not  put  a  series  of  similar  clauses  or  a  series  Overlap- 
of  similar  phrases  in  an  overlapping  construction, — i.e.,   pmgde- 
with  the  second  depending  on  the  first,  the  third  on  the 
second,    the    fourth    on    the  third,   etc.     Recast    the 
sentence. 

A.  Awkward :  I  never  knew  a  man  who  was  so  ready  to 

help  a  friend   who  had  got  into  difficulties  which 
pressed  him  hard. 
Right :  I  never  knew  a  man  so  ready  to  help  a  friend 
who  found  himself  hard  pressed  by  difficulties. 

B,  Awkward  :  I  was  so  uncomfortable  that  I  rolled  up  my 

sleeves  so  far  that  my  arms  got  sunburned,  so  that  I 
could  hardly  sleep  that  night. 
Right:  Feeling  very  uncomfortable,  I  rolled  up  my 
sleeves  so  far  that  my  arms  got  badly  sunburned. 
The  pain  thus  caused  kept  me  awake  most  of  that 
night 


48 


STRUCTURE   OF  SENTENCES 


C  Awkward  :  There  stood  the  big  handsome  motor  car  of 
the  founder  of  the  infamous  combination  of  the 
manufacturers  of  that  necessary  of  life,  oatmeal. 
Right :  There  stood  the  big  handsome  motor  car  belong- 
ing to  Saunders  —  the  man  who  formed  the  infamous 
combination  to  control  the  manufacture  of  that  vital 
necessary,  oatmeal. 

107.  Note,  on  the  other  hand,  that  a  series  of  similar 
clauses  or  phrases  all  depending  on  the  same  sentence- 
element  gives  rise  to  no  awkwardness.  (Cf.  Rule  75, 
note.) 

Right :  I  rise  to  nominate  a  man  who  has  ever  been 
stanch  in  his  loyalty,  who  has  long  been  a  trusted 
counselor  in  the  policies  of  our  party,  who  has 
demonstrated  his  fitness  for  this  office  by  the  efficiency 
of  his  administration  in  others,  whose  honor  has  never 
been  assailed  save  by  calumnious  envy,  whose  fame 
is  destined  to  echo  down  the  coming  ages,  who  .  .  . 
etc. 

Right :  His  face  has  come  down  to  us  marked  with  all 
the  blemishes  put  on  it  by  time,  by  war,  by  sleepless 
nights,  by  anxiety,  perhaps  by  remorse. 

108.  A  lohen  clause  is  properly  used  only  to  fix  the 
time  of  an  event  stated  in  the  principal  clause.     Hence : 

109.  A  statement  of  primary  importance  in  a  narra- 
tive should  not  be  embodied  in  a  when  clause ;  it  should 
be  embodied  in  an  independent  clause  or  sentence. 

Bad  :  The  thoughts  of  the  engineer  turned  toward  the 

home  he  was  approaching  when  suddenly  he  saw  the 

glare  of  fire  on  the  track  ahead. 
Right:  The  thoughts  of  the  engineer  turned  toward  the 

home  he  was  approaching.      Suddenly   he  saw  the 

glare  of  fire  on  the  track  ahead. 

Bad ;  Having  finished  their  work,  they  began  to  talk 
about  former  good  times  when  one  of  the  fellows 
suggested  that  they  haze  Nicholson. 


PARALLELISM  49 

Right :  Having  finished  their  work,  they  began  to  talk 
about  former  good  times.  Presently  one  of  the 
fellows  suggested  that  they  haze  Nicholson. 

110.  To  put  a  logically  principal  statement  in  a  sub-  Upside- 
ordinate  clause  and  the  logically  subordinate  statement   ordination 
in  the  principal  clause  is  especially  objectionable,  unless 

there  is  some  good  reason  for  such  inversion. 

Bad  :  I  was  walking  down  State  Street  yesterday  when 
I  came  upon  a  crowd  of  people  gathered  about  a  horse 
that  had  fallen  down. 

Right :  As  I  was  walking  down  State  Street  yesterday, 
I  came  upon  a  crowd  of  people,  etc. 

Parallelism 

111.  As  a  rule,  two  or  more  sentence-elements  that  Parallel 
have  the  same  logical  office  should  be  made  grammatically  forms  for 
parallel;  i.e.,  if  one  is  an  infinitive,  the  other  should  be;  elemems^ 
if  one  is  a^  relative  clause,  the  other  should  be  ;  if  one  is  an 
appositive,  the  other  should  be ;  and  so  on.     (See  Exer- 
cise XXXIX.) 

A  Bad:  The  crowd  began  to  wave  handkerchiefs  and 
shouting  good-byes.  ['*To  wave"  and  "shouting," 
both  objects  of  "began,"  are  awkwardly  dissimilar  in 
form.] 
Right :  (a)  The  crowd  began  to  wave  handkerchiefs  and 
to  shout  good-byes ;  [or]  (6)  The  crowd  began 
waving  handkerchiefs  and  shouting  good-byes.  [The 
two  objects  of  "began"  are  made  parallel;  in  (a) 
they  are  both  infinitives,  in  (6)  they  are  both  gerunds.] 

B,  Bad :  I  met  many  people  there  whom  I  had  seen  before 
but  did  not  know  their  names.  ["  Whom  I  had  seen 
before "  and  "  did  not  know  their  names,"  both 
qualifiers  (logically)  of  "people,"  are  awkwardly 
dissimilar  in  form.] 
Right :  I  met  many  people  there  whom  I  had  seen  before 
but  whose  names  I  did  not  know.  [  The  two  quali- 
fiers of  "  people  "  are  made  parallel ;  both  are  relative 
clauses.] 


50       STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

C  Bad:  I  delight  in  a  good  novel — one  which  portrays 
strong  characters  and  in  reading  the  book  you  are 
thrilled.  [The  two  qualifiers  of  '*  one  "  are  awkwardly 
dissimilar;  the  first  ("which  portrays  strong  char- 
acters") is  a  relative  clause,  the  second  ("in  reading 
the  book  you  are  thrilled")  a  sentence.] 
Right:  I  delight  in  a  good  novel  —  one  which  portrays 
strong  characters  and  which  thrills  the  reader.  [The 
two  qualifiers  are  made  parallel ;  both  are  relative 
clauses.] 

D.  Bad :  Two  courses  are  open  to  us :  first,   to  have  the 

missionary  society  transfer  to  us  a  missionary  now 
in  the  field ;  second,  one  of  our  own  members  has 
volunteered  to  go,  and  we  may  send  him.  [The  two 
logical  appositives  to  "two  courses"  are  awkwardly 
dissimilar;  the  first  ("to  have  .  .  .  field")  is  a 
grammatical  appositive,  the  second  ("one  of  our  own 
members  ,  .  .  him")  a  sentence.] 
Right :  Two  courses  are  open  to  us :  first,  to  have  the 
missionary  society  transfer  to  us  a  missionary  now  in 
the  field  ;  second,  to  send  one  of  our  own  members, 
who  has  volunteered  to  go.  [The  two  logical  apposi- 
tives are  made  parallel ;  both  are  grammatical  apposi- 
tives to  "courses."]  [Or]  Two  courses  are  open  to 
us.  First,  we  may  have  the  missionary  society  trans- 
fer to  us  a  missionary  now  in  the  field  ;  second,  we 
may  send  one  of  our  members,  who  has  volunteered 
to  go.  [The  two  logical  appositives  are  made  parallel ; 
both  are  sentences.] 

E.  Bad  :  I  have  lived  in  many  states,  some  for  only  a  short 

time,  while  in  others  1  have  lived  a  year  or  more. 
[The  two  qualifiers  of  the  main  clause  are  awkwardly 
dissimilar  ;  the  first  ("some  .^or  only  a  short  time") 
is  an  incomplete  modifier  of  "lived,"  the  second 
("while  .  .  .  more")  a  complete  subordinate  clause.] 
Right :  I  have  lived  in  many  states, — in  some  for  only  a 
short  time,  in  others  for  a  year  or  more.  [The  two 
qualifiers  of  the  main  clause  are  made  parallel ;  both 
are  prepositional  phrases  modifying  "lived."] 

F.  Bad  :  I  was  asked  to  contribute  to  the  church,  Christian 

Association,   and  to  the  athletic  fund.     [The  three 


PARALLELISM 


51 


modifiers  of  "contribute  "  are  awkwardly  dissimilar  in 
form;  the  first  is- a  complete  phrase,  the  second  a 
noun  with  both  the  preposition  and  the  article  lack- 
ing, the  third  a  complete  phrase.] 
Right :  I  was  asked  to  contribute  to  the  church,  to  the 
Christian  Association,  and  to  the  athletic  fund.  [The 
three  modifiers  of  ''contribute"  are  made  parallel  in 
form  ;  each  is  a  complete  phrase.  ]  [Or]  I  was  asked 
to  contribute  to  the  church,  the  Christian  Association, 
and  the  athletic  fund.  ["To"  is  made  to  govern 
three  objects  parallel  in  form, — each  consisting  of 
"the"  and  a  noun.] 

112.  Correlative  conjunctions  should  be  followed  by  Correla- 
coordinate  sentence-elements ;  if  a  predicate  follows  the  *^^®® 
first,  a  predicate  should  follow  the  second ;  if  a  modifier 

the  first,  a  modifier  the  second ;  and  so  on.     (See  Exer- 
cise XXXV.) 

Wrong :  They  would  neither  speak  to  him  nor  would 
they  look  at  him.  ["Neither"  is  followed  by 
"speak,"  a  part  of  a  compound  verb;  "nor"  by 
"  would  they  look,"  a  subject  and  complete  predicate.] 

Right :  They  would  neither  speak  to  him  nor  look  at 
him.  ["Neither"  and  "nor  "are  each  followed  by 
an  infinitive  completing  "  would."] 

Wrong :  He  is  not  only  discourteous  to  the  students 
but  also  to  the  teacher.  ["  Not  only  "  is  followed  by 
an  adjective,  "but  also"  by  a  phrase  modifying  the 
adjective.] 

Right :  He  is  discourteous  not  only  to  the  students  but 
also  to  the  teacher.  [The  correlatives  are  each  fol- 
lowed by  a  phrase  limiting  "  discourteous."] 

113.  Do  not  make  a  sentence- element  similar  in  form  Incorreci 
to  a  preceding  element  with  which  it  is  not  coordinate.       ^m^^^^^" 

Misleading :  He  is  a  blunt,  manly  fellow,  who  admires 
a  soldier  and  despises  an  effeminate  fop,  who  struts 
about  affectedly  and  dresses  daintily. 

Right :  He  is  a  blunt,  manly  fellow,  who  admires  a  sol- 
dier and  despises  an  effeminate,  affected,  daintily 
dressed  fop. 


52 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


114.  Do  not  join  by  and  and  put  in  the  same  gram- 
matical construction,  two  substantives  or  substantive 
clauses  widely  differing  in  logical  function. 

Bad  :  The  story  tells  of  the  bravery  and  promotion  of  a 
private.  ["  Bravery  "  designates  a  quality,  **  promo- 
tion" designates  an  experience.] 

Right :  The  story  tells  of  a  private's  bravery  and  of  his 
promotion. 

Bad:  He  tells  in  vivid  language  how  dangerous  to  a 
vessel  is  the  breaking  loose  of  a  cannon  on  wheels, 
and  how  a  ship's  gunner  captured  an  escaped  cannon. 
[The  substantive  clause  "how  dangerous  to  a  vessel 
is  the  breaking  loose  of  a  cannon  "  designates  a  general 
truth;  the  substantive  clause  "how  a  ship's  gunner  cap- 
tured an  escaped  cannon  "  designates  a  specific  event.] 

Right:  He  tells  In  vivid  language  how  a  cannon  on 
wheels  broke  from  its  fastenings  on  a  ship  (explaining 
the  perils  that  attend  such  an  accident),  and  how  it 
was  captured  by  a  gunner. 

115.  The  formula  a,  &,  and  c,  should  not  be  used  for 
sentence-elements  not  coordinate.     (See  Exercise  XLI.) 

Bad  :  He  was  tall,  slim,  and  wore  a  black  coat.  [Here 
a  and  h  are  adjectives,  and  c  is  a  verb.] 

Bad :  We  denounce  the  act  as  cruel,  barbarous,  and 
sincerely  regret  that  it  occurred.  [Here  a  and  b  are 
adjectives  and  c  is  a  verb.] 


Method  of 
correction 


116.  Violations  of  the  foregoing  rule  may  be  corrected 
(1)  by  inserting  and  between  a  and  6,  or  (2)  by  con- 
forming c  to  a  and  b.     Thus  : 

Right:  (1)  He  was  tall  and  slim,  and  wore  a  black 
coat ;  [or]  (2)  He  was  tall,  slim,  and  attired  in  a 
black  coat. 

Right :  (1)  We  denounce  the  act  as  cruel  and  barbar- 
ous, and  sincerely  regret  that  it  occurred  ;  [or]  (2) 
We  denounce  the  act  as  cruel,  barbarous,  and  wor- 
thy of  condemnation  by  all  right-thinking  sophomores. 


LOGICAL  AGREEMENT 


63 


Logical  Agreement 

117.  Every  sentence-element   should   be    in    logical 
accord  with  the  rest  of  the  sentence.     (In  connection  with 
this  rule,  see  Kule  28  and  Exercise  XLII.      See 
Subject,  Cause,  and  Reason  in  the  Glossary.) 

A,  Bad :  Of  these  names  sixteen  were  chosen  to  be  mem- 

bers.    ["  Sixteen  (names)  "  does  not  agree  logically 
with  ''were  chosen  to  be  members."] 
Right :  Of  the  persons  named  sixteen  were  chosen  to  be 
members. 

B.  Bad :  The  life   of  a  hod-carrier  is  sometimes  happier 

than  a  prince.     ["  The  life  "  does  not  agree  logically 

with  "is  happier  than  a  prince."] 
Right :  The  life  of  a  hod-carrier  is  sometimes  happier 

than  that  of  a  prince. 
C  Illogical :  He  hated  to  submit  to  the  rules,  —  viz.^  church 

attendance  and  not  smoking.    [Church  attendance  and 

abstinence  from  tobacco  are  not  rules.] 
Right :  He  hated  to  submit  to  the  rules,  — namely  those 

requiring  attendance  at  church  and  abstinence  from 

smoking. 

D.  Illogical :  A  fireman  seldom  rises  above  an  engineer. 
Right :  A  fireman  seldom  rises  above  the  position  of 
engineer. 

118.  When  a  thing  is  compared  to  other  members  of  Other  or 
its  own  class,  in  a  statement  completed  by  a  than  or  an   fhanovas 
as  clause,  the  standard  of  comparison  in  the  than  or  the  clause : 
as  clause  should  be  restricted  by  other  or  else,  or  by  an 
equivalent  word. 

Illogical :  Lead  is  heavier  than  any  metal. 
Right :  Lead  is  heavier  than  any  other  metal. 
Illogical :  Shakespeare  is  greater  than  any  English  poet. 
Right :  Shakespeare  is  greater  than  any  other  Enghsh 
poet. 

119.  When  a  thing  is  compared  to  the  members  of  a  When 
class  to  which  it  does  not  belong,  in  a  statement  com-  ^^^^^^^ 


When 
correct 


54 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


The  of 
phrase 
limiting  a 
superla- 
tive 


pleted  by  a  than  or  an  as  clause,  the  standard  of  com- 
parison in  the  than  or  as  clause  should  not  be  restricted 
by  othei*  or  else  or  any  equivalent  word. 

Illogical :  That  little  word  home  means  more  to  me  than 

any  other  word  of  twice  its  length. 
Right :  That  little  word   home  means  more  to  me  than 

any  word  of  twice  its  length. 

120.  In  the  of  phrase  limiting  an  adjective  or  an  ad- 
verb in  the  superlative  degree,  — 

(a)  The  object  of  0/ should  be  a  plural  noun  or  a  col- 
lective noun,  not  a  noun  designating  an  individual  person 
or  thing. 

Illogical :  He  is  the  tallest  of  any  man  in  the  regiment. 

Right :  He  is  the  tallest  of  all  the  men  in  the  regiment ; 
[or]  He  is  the  tallest  man  of  the  regiment. 

(Right:  He  is  taller  than  any  other  man  in  the  regi- 
ment. ) 

(5)  The  object  of  of  should  designate  a  class  to  which 
the  subject  of  comparison  belongs,  not  a  class  to  which  it 
does  not  belong. 

Illogical :  Blackbirds  make  the  best  pie  of  all  birds.    [A 

pie  cannot  be  the  best  of  birds.] 
Right :  Blackbirds  make  the  best  pie  of  all  game  pies. 
(Right :  Blackbirds   make   better  pie   than   any  other 

birds.) 

(c)  The  object  of  0/ should  not  be  restricted  by  other 
or  else  or  any  equivalent  word. 

Illogical :  Shakespeare  is  the  greatest  of  all  other  English 

poets. 
Right :  Shakespeare  is  the  greatest  of  all  English  poets. 


Double 
negative 


J^egation 

121.  Double  negative  (i.e.,  the  use,  in  a  sentence,  of 
two  or  more  negative  words  not  coordinate,  —  as  *'  I  could 
not  find  it  nowhere  ")  is  forbidden  by  modem  usage.  (See 
Exercise  XLIII.) 


REDUNDANCE  65 

122.  Hardly,  scarcely,  only,  and   hut  used  in   the  Incorrect 

sense  of  only  are  often  incorrectly  joined  with  a  negative,   ^^f^*^^® 

(See  Exercise  XLIV.)  hardly, 

et€. 
Wrong :  It  was  so  misty  that  we  couldn't  hardly  see. 

Right :  It  was  so  misty  that  we  could  hardly  see. 

Wrong :  For  a  minute  I  couldn't  scarcely  tell  where  I  was. 

Right :  Eor  a  minute  I  could  scarcely  tell  where  I  was. 

Wrong  :  They  are  not  allowed  to  go  only  on  Saturdays. 

Right :  They  are  allowed  to  go  only  on  Saturdays. 

Wrong  :  There  isn't  but  one  store. 

Right :  There  is  but  one  store. 

Redundance 

123.  Avoid  tautology,  —  i,e.,  the  useless  repetition  of  Tautol- 
an  idea,  in  part  or  entire.  ^^ 

Bad :  If  I    had  abundant  wealth  and   plenty  of  re- 
sources .  .  . 
Right :  If  I  had  abundant  wealth  .  .  . 
Bad  :  Will  you  please  repeat  that  again  ? 
Right :  Will  you  please  repeat  that  ? 
Bad :  The  autobiography  of  my  life. 
Right :  My  autobiography. 

124.  Avoid  pleonasm,  —  i.e.,  the  use  of  words  which   Pleonasm 
do  not  involve  repetition  of  thought,  but  which  are  struc- 
turally unnecessary. 

Bad :  There  were  two  hundred  students  went. 
Right :  Two  hundred  students  went. 
Bad  :  It  has  no  relation  as  to  time  or  place. 
Right :  It  has  no  relation  to  time  or  place. 
Bad :  They  went  through  with  the  formalities. 
Right :  They  went  through  the  formalities. 

125.  Avoid  burdening  a  statement   with   too  many  Wordi- 
words.  ^®^^ 

Wordy  :  Yesterday  I  had  occasion  to  be  a  witness  of  a 

very  interesting  incident. 
Right :  Yesterday  I  saw  an  interesting  incident. 


56       STRUCTURE  OF  SENTENCES 

Wordy:  At  midnight  the  physician  made  a  statement 
saying  that  the  governor  was  better. 

Right :  At  midnight  the  physician  stated  that  the  gov- 
ernor was  better. 

Wordy  :  By  a  little  inquiry  on  my  part,  I  found  that  he 

was  a  Nihilist. 
Right :  By  a  little  inquiry  I  found  that  he  was  a  Nihilist. 
See  also  the  Bad  examples  under  Rules   16   and  129, 

note. 

Repetition  of  Words 

126.  Do  not  use  a  word  in  two  senses  in  the  same 
sentence  or  within  a  short  space. 

Bad  :  Since  several  years  passed  since  the  death  of  his 
wife  .  .  . 

Right :  Several  years  having  passed  since  the  death  of 
his  wife  ... 

Bad :  I  couldn't  get  up  courage  to  get  up  and  in- 
vestigate. 

Right :  I  couldn't  summon  courage  to  get  up  and  in- 
vestigate. 

127.  Avoid  awkward  and  needless  repetition  of  a 
word  or  phrase. 

Bad :  MacArthur  was  to  speak  on  that  day  ;  hence  we 

selected  that  day  for  our  trip. 
Bad :  He  said  that  the  orders  said  that  uniforms  must 

be  worn  in  future. 

128.  Violations  of  the  foregoing  rule  are  usually  best 
corrected  by  recasting,  not  by  merely  substituting  syn- 
onyms for  the  repeated  words.     Thus  : 

Right :  That  was  the  day  on  which  MacArthur  was  to 
speak  ;  we  therefore  selected  it  for  our  trip. 

Right :  He  said  that  the  orders  required  the  wearing  of 
uniforms  in  future. 

129.  Prefer  repetition,  however;,  to  labored  and  awk- 
ward avoidance  of  it. 


REPETITION  OF   WORDS  57 

Awkward :  If  it  has  this  effect  on  a  healthy  skin,  it  will 

have  a  worse  result  on  an  inflamed  cuticle. 
Preferable  :  If  it  has  this  effect  on  a  healthy  skin,  it  will 

have  a  worse  effect  on  an  inflamed  skin. 

Note. — A  constant  straining  for  conspicuous  synonyms    Str.'xining 
to  use  in  referring  to  something  previously  mentioned  is  a   ^^^  ^J^' 
characteristic  mannerism  of  newspaper  writers  (cf.  Rules   ^"^"^^ 
2  c  and  16).     Avoid  this  practice  ;  repeat  the  noun,  or  else 
choose  an  inconspicuous  synonym. 

Bad :  At  the  faculty  meeting  yesterday  the  question  of 
football  was  again  discussed.  Those  of  that  learned 
aggregation  who  opposed  the  gridiron  game  succumbed 
at  the  final  vote.     [See  Rule  125.] 

Improved  :  At  the  faculty  meeting  yesterday  the  ques- 
tion of  football  was  again  discussed.  The  opponents 
of  the  game  were  defeated  at  the  final  vote. 

Bad :  The  extreme  warm  weather  during  the  past  several 
weeks  has  not  exactly  been  conducive  of  producing 
record-breaking  scores  at  the  Y.  M.  Q.  A.  bowling 
alleys.  In  fact  it  has  almost  been  too  warm  for  even 
the  most  ardent  lovers  of  the  tenpin  game,  and 
enthusiasm  has  for  some  time  been  at  a  rather  low 
ebb.     [See  Rule  125.] 

Right:  The  extremely  warm  weather  of  the  past  several 
weeks  has  discouraged  the  production  of  high  scores 
at  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  bowling  alleys.  It  has  been  almost 
too  warm  for  even  the  most  enthusiastic  bowlers,  and 
the  general  interest  in  the  game  has  been  slight. 

Bad:  President  Roosevelt  is  willing  to  mediate  in  the 
telegraphers'  strike  if  the  key  men  and  their  employers 
request  him  to  act  as  arbiter  in  the  big  tie-up.  [See 
Rule  125.] 

Right:  President  Roosevelt  is  willing  to  mediate  in 
the  telegraphers'  strike  if  the  telegraphers  and  their 
employers  request  his  services. 

130.    When  the  conjunction  that  is  separated  by  in-  repetition 

terveninff  words  from  the  subject  and  predicate  which  it   ^^  ^^® 

1  .  IT  .  n    1  conjunc- 

mtroduces,  guard  against  the  careless  repetition  of  that,     tion  that 


58 


STRUCTURE   OF   SENTENCES 


Wrong :  It  is  pleasant  to  reflect  that  after  all  this  work 
has  been  done  and  all  these  difficulties  have  been  con- 
quered, that  we  shall  get  a  good  rest. 

Right ;  It  is  pleasant  to  reflect  that  after  all  this  work 
has  been  done  and  all  these  difficulties  have  been  con- 
quered, we  shall  get  a  good  rest. 


Concur- 
rence of 
like 
sounds 


Absolute 
phrases : 


Absolute 
pronoun 


Euphony 

131.  For  euphony,  avoid  a  succession  of  like  sounds. 
Avoid  rhyme  in  prose. 

Not  euphonious :  The  chilling  blasts  blowing  with  cutting 
force. 

Bad :  My  first  year  was  the  best  of  my  college  career. 

Bad  :  Then  came  the  time  for  the  heart-breaking  leave- 
taking. 

Bad  :  The  fountains  were  kept  playing  night  and  day  to 
keep  up  the  display. 

132.  Absolute  phrases  are  often  a  useful  aid  to  proper 
subordination  and  to  smoothness  of  style.  But  there  are 
two  kinds  of  absolute  phrases  which,  being  conspicuously 
awkward,  are  best  avoided ;  viz., 

(a)  Absolute  phrases  in  which  the  substantive  is  a  pro- 
noun. 

Clumsy  :  He  gave  up  the  task,  it  being  too  difficult. 

Better :  He  gave  up  the  task  as  too  difficult. 

Clumsy :  I  being  unacquainted  with  the  road,  my  party 

got  lost. 
Better:  Since  I  was  unacquainted  with  the  road,  my 

party  got  lost. 

Note. —  Such  an  absolute  phrase  is  particularly  objection- 
able when  the  pronoun  refers  to  the  subject  of  the  sentence. 
In  such  cases  wordiness  is  added  to  awkwardness,  since  the 
pronoun  is  pleonastic  (see  Rule  124). 

Bad  :  I  made  a  trip  to  Catalina  Island  in  1902,  I  being 

then  in  my  tenth  year. 
Better :  I  made  a  trip  to  Catalina  Island  in  1902,  being 

then  in  my  tenth  year. 


UNITY  OF  A  COMPOSITION  59 

Bad :  The  furnace  could  not  be  repaired  immediately, 

it  being  red-hot. 
Better  :  Being  red-hot,  the  furnace  could  not  be  repaired 

immediately. 

(b)   Absolute  phrases  in  which  the  substantive  is  mod-  Latinistic 
ified  by  a  perfect  participle,  especially  a  passive  perfect  ^  ^^^ses 
participle.     Such  phrases  are  clumsy,  unidiomatic,  and 
suggestive  of  elementary  Latin  exercises. 

Clumsy :  His  horse  having  been  fed,  Macy  continued 

his  journey. 
Better  :  When  his  horse  had  been  fed,  Macy  continued 

his  journey. 

Variety 

133.  Do  not  make  many  sentences  in  a  composition  Forms  of 
or  a  passage  monotonously  alike  in  construction.     This  expression 
principle  is  often  violated  (a)  by  beginning  many  sen-  frequent 
tences  near  each  other  with  after,  with  this  or  these,  or 

with  the7^e  is  or  there  are  ;  (b)  by  using  with  noticeable 
frequency  a  compound  sentence  with  two  members  of 
about  equal  length  joined  by  and  or  but  ;  (c)  by  using 
participial  or  absolute  phrases  with  noticeable  frequency ; 
and  (d)  by  the  habitual  use  of  so  as  a  connective  (cf. 
Kule  99). 

Structure  of  Larger  Units  of  Discourse 
Unity  of  a  Composition 

134.  A  composition  should  treat  a  single  subject  and  The  gen- 
should  treat  it  throughout  according  to  a  self-consistent  ^^^}  P^"^' 
method. 

The  following  composition  is  an  example  of  the  viola- 
tion of  unity  by  failure  to  hold  to  one  subject : 

Our  Trip  up  Spruce  Creek 

While  I  was  in  Port  Orange,  Mr.  Doty,  the  proprietor 
of  the  hotel  there,  took  some  oi  his  guests  five  miles  up 


60  STRUCTURE   OF   LARGER   UNITS 

Spruce  Creek  on  a  launch.  It  was  the  third  of  Febru- 
ary. As  the  boat  steamed  up  the  creek,  we  stood  on 
the  deck,  some  of  us  taking  pictures  and  others  shooting 
at  alligators  with  revolvers.  The  alligators  are  of  all 
sizes.  Sometimes  you  will  see  one  seven  or  eight  feet 
long,  lying  on  the  bank  in  the  sunshine.  As  the  boat 
goes  past,  he  slides  into  the  water  and  swims  away 
with  only  his  head  above  the  water.  When  we  have 
gone  a  little  farther,  we  see  another  alligator  about  four 
feet  long,  with  ten  or  twelve  little  ones  crawling  over 
her  back. 

When  the  launch  has  gone  about  five  miles,  it  stops 
at  the  wharf  of  an  orange  grove.  Here  the  passengers 
are  allowed  to  take  all  the  oranges  they  want.  After 
they  have  walked  about  the  grove  for  a  while,  they  have 
a  picnic  dinner,  and  then  start  back. 

The  writer  of  the  foregoing  composition  keeps  to  his 
subject  —  a  trip  which  be  took  up  Spruce  Creek  on 
February  3  —  for  only  three  sentences.  After  the  third 
sentence  he  shifts  to  a  different  subject  —  the  Spruce 
Creek  trips  in  general  —  and  throughout  the  rest  of  the 
composition  forgets  all  about  "our  trip."  Unity  may  be 
given  to  this  composition  (a)  by  making  it  entirely  a 
narrative,  dealing  with  the  trip  of  February  3 ;  or  (b) 
by  making  it,  throughout,  a  general  discussion  of  the 
Spruce  Creek  picnics  provided  by  Mr.  Doty. 

Too  big  135.    Avery  small  essay  on  a  very  large  subject  — 

a  subject  g^^j^  ^^  Character;  Patriotism,  Selfishness,  Advertising, 
The  Waste  of  Energy  —  usually  violates  the  principle  of 
unity.  It  usually  consists  of  a  number  of  brief  scraps 
of  discussion,  each  dealing  with  a  different  division  of  the 
subject.  The  divisions  of  so  large  a  subject  are  them- 
selves large ;  the  essay  therefore  reads  like  a  fragmentary 
and  disconnected  treatment  of  a  number  of  distinct  sub- 
jects, not  like  a  connected  treatment  of  a  single  subject. 
When  a  short  essay  is  to  be  written  on  a  big  subject, 
it  is  best  to  choose  some  single,  well-defined  phase  of  the 


the  tense 
in  narra- 


UNITY  OF  A  COMPOSITION  61 

subject.  For  example,  choose  The  Difference  between  Char- 
acter and  Keputation,  rather  than  Character ;  The  Work 
of  Patriotic  Women  during  the  Spanish- American  War, 
rather  than  Patriotism;  Selfishness  in  the  Conduct  of 
Students  toward  their  Parents,  rather  than  Selfishness ; 
Advertising  as  a  Necessary  Measure  of  Self-Defense, 
rather  than  Advertising ;  The  Value  of  a  Daily  Sched- 
ule, rather  than  The  Waste  of  Energy ;  How  Students' 
Adversities  aid  them  toward  Success,  rather  than  Success, 

136.  In  reproducing  a  story  (e.^.,  the  story  of  Mao-  Shifting 
heth)  or  in  composing  a  story,  do  not  shift  carelessly  be- 
tween the  present  and  the  past  tenses.     Decide  at  the  tive 
beginning  which  tense  to  use,  and  use  it  consistently. 

(Cf.  Rule  19.) 

137.  In  a  story  the  opening  events  of  which  are  told  Shifting 
as  having  been  seen  or  participated  in  by  the  narrator,  of  yfe^^in 
the  introduction  of  events  or  speeches  or  thoughts  which  narrative 
the  narrator,  according  to  his  own  account,  could   not 

have  seen  or  heard  or  known,  is  a  flagrant  violation  of 
unity. 

Thus,  the  italicized  part  of  the  following  extract  vi- 
olates unity : 

I  strolled  down  to  the  boat-house  at  six  o'clock  yester- 
day evening.  As  I  got  there  a  row-boat  was  approach- 
ing the  wharf  containing  a  man  and  a  girl  who  I  judged 
must  have  arrived  from  the  country  very  recently.  They 
had  started  for  Picnic  Point  at  two  o^clock.  On  the 
way  the  young  man  had  had  great  difficulty  at  the  un- 
familiar work  of  rowing.  Often  his  oars  would  slip 
and  send  a  shower  of  water  into  the  girVs  lap,  at 
which  he  would  say,  ''  Oh,  I  am  so  sorry  /'*  and  she 
would  reply,  ''  Oh,  thaVs  all  right.  "...  As  they 
neared  the  wharf,  he  was  anxiously  wondering  whether 
he  could  land  without  accident.  Jimmy,  the  keeper 
of  the  boat-house,  stood  ready  to  assist  at  the  disem- 
barkation. .  .  . 


62  STRUCTURE   OF  LARGER   UNITS 

A  story  in  which  unity  is  thus  violated  may  be  cor- 
rected (a)  by  omitting  all  events,  speeches,  and  thoughts 
of  which  the  narrator  could  not,  according  to  his  own 
account,  have  been  aware  at  the  time  they  took  place 
{e.g.,  omitting  the  italicized  passage  in  the  story  quoted)  ; 
(&)  by  introducing  all  such  events,  speeches,  and  thoughts 
as  having  been  learned  by  the  narrator  after  they  took 
place  {e.g.,  making  the  oarsman  in  the  above-quoted 
story  tell  the  narrator,  in  a  subsequent  conversation,  what 
is  improperly  related  in  the  italicized  passage) ;  or  (c)  by 
omitting  all  reference  to  the  narrator  —  telling  every- 
thing impersonally  {e.g.,  omitting  from  the  above-quoted 
story  all  preceding  the  italicized  part  and  continuing 
without  any  reference  to  the  narrator). 

Shifting  138.    If  a  description  is  introduced  by  narrative,  with 

in  Ve^scrip-  *^®  object  of  picturing  a  thing  as  it  appeared  on  a  certain 

tion  occasion  in  the  past,   the  past    tense   should   be   used 

throughout  the  composition ;  carelessly  shifting  to  the 

present  tense  changes  the  point   of  view  and  violates 

unity. 

Shifting  139.    Do  not  change  the  point  of  view  of  a  composi- 

of*^^ew^of*  tion  or  of  a  passage  by  shifting  carelessly  from  /  to  one, 
one  person   from  we  to  the  observer,  from  you  to  a  person,   etc. 
another^^     Keep  consistently  to  one  point  of  view  unless  there  is 
good  reason  for  changing. 

Organization  of  a  Composition 

The  gen-  140.    In  order  that  a  composition  be  effective,  it  must 

cinle^^^'^*  ^^^  merely  contain  good  thoughts  or  interesting  state- 
ments ;  it  must  be  a  well-organized  whole.  It  can  not 
be  a  well-organized  whole  if  the  writer  puts  down  thoughts 
or  statements  at  haphazard,  just  as  they  occur  to  him. 
To  get  good  organization,  a  writer  must  proceed  by  a 
definite  plan  ;  that  is,  he  must,  before  he  begins  to  write, 


ciple 


ORGANIZATION   OF  A   COMPOSITION  63 

or  at  least  before  he  puts  the  composition  into  its  final 
form,  decide  on  a  few  topics,  and  on  each  topic  write  a 
passage  (see  Kule  142),  constituting  a  unit  of  the  whole 
composition.  Unless  this  plan  of  organization  is  followed, 
the  composition  is  likely  to  be  a  mere  collection  of  pieces 
—  not  a  well-made  whole.  The  pieces  may  be  individu- 
ally good,  but  the  composition  is  poor.  As  in  warfare  a 
band  of  men,  though  strong  and  brave  individually,  is 
collectively  weak  if  it  is  not  well  organized ;  so  a  speech, 
a  report,  an  editorial,  an  essay,  any  composition,  though 
its  parts  may  be  forcible  or  clever,  is  weak  as  a  whole 
if  it  is  not  well  organized. 

For  example,  an  essay  on  Denver  consists  of  a  short 
paragraph  on  each  of  the  following  topics  : 

1.  Location. 

2.  History. 

3.  Local  pride. 

4.  Water  supply  (derived  from  mountain  snow), 
6.  Capitol  and  United  States  mint. 

6.  Museums. 

7.  Principal  businesses. 

8.  Dwelling  houses  (none  built  of  wood). 

9.  Schools. 

10.  Wealth  of  citizens. 

11.  The  city  as  a  health  resort. 

12.  Churches. 

13.  Strange  spectacle  of  men  skating  in  winter  in  their 

shirtsleeves. 

This  production,  however  interesting  its  material,  is  as 
far  from  being  a  good  composition  as  two  wheels,  a  dia- 
mond frame,  a  chain,  and  a  pair  of  handle  bars,  all  piled 
in  a  heap,  are  from  being  a  good  bicycle.  It  is  a  series 
of  haphazard  remarks  not  organized  into  a  whole.  There 
is  no  reason  for  most  of  the  parts'  standing  where  they 
are  —  no  reason,  e.g.,  for  discussing  public  buildings  after 
the  water  supply,  or  skaters'  costumes  after  churches. 
The  material  of  this  essay  may  be  organized  into  a  whole 


64  STRUCTUKE   OF  LARGER   UNITS 

by  the  method  shown  in  the  following  outline.  The 
numbers  within  the  brackets  refer  to  parts  of  the  pre- 
ceding outline. 

I.    History.  [2] 

11.   Location   and   climate.     [Put  1  and  13   here — 13 
as  an  illustration  of  the  statements   about  the 
climate.] 
III.   Especially  striking  peculiarities  of  the  city. 

1.  Evidences  of  its  being  a  health  resort.  [11] 

2.  Absence  of  wooden  buildings.  [8] 

3.  Public  buildings.  [5] 

4.  Water  supply.  [4] 

5.  Most  striking  of  all,  — local  pride.  [3] 
IV.   Conditions  of  the  people's  life. 

1.  Economic  :    Principal      occupations.       General 

wealth.  [7  and  10] 

2.  Educational    and    moral :    Schools,     museums, 

churches.  [9,  6,  and  12] 

141.  Material  belonging  to  one  part  of  an  essay  should 
not  be  placed  carelessly  in  another  part. 

In  the  following  paragraph,  the  italicized  sentence  is 
evidently  misplaced : 

The  physical  training  department  of  our  college  is 
very  good  and  is  constantly  improving.  A  good  gym- 
nasium for  the  women  is  greatly  needed,  to  replace  the 
present  unsatisfactory  make-shift.  As  I  am  more  ac- 
quainted with  the  work  of  the  girls,  I  shall  confine 
myself  to  the  physical  training  provided  for  them. 

The  italicized  sentence  does  not  belong  in  this  intro- 
ductory part,  but  in  a  subsequent  part,  — viz.^  that  which 
discusses  the  equipment  for  the  girls'  exercise. 

142.  In  an  expository  essay  each  of  the  passages  con- 
stituting the  major  units  (see  the  third  sentence  of  Rule 
140)  should  be  somewhat  like  a  distinct  composition; 
just  as  a  military  company  is  a  complete  organization 
within  itself,  as  well  as  a  unit  in  a  regiment.  In  other 
"words,  each  main  division  of  the  essay  should  be  a  well- 


COHERENCE  65 

organized,  well-introduced,  well-concluded  whole,   which 
would  seem  rounded  and  complete  if  it  stood  by  itself. 

Coherence 

143.  The  opening  sentences  of  a  formal  composition  Coherent 
should  be  self-explanatory ;  they  should  be  clear  to  the  beginning 
reader  without  reference  to  the  title  of  the  composition. 

Bad :  t 

Lamps 

They    are   contrivances    for   furnishing    artificial 

light.  .  .  . 

^^g^^=  •  Lamps 

Lamps   are   contrivances   for   furnishing    artificial 
light.  .  .  . 

^    *     My  Work  during  the  Past  Term 

Latin  and  German  were  more  diificult  than  any 
other  studies.  .  .  . 

ig     •   ^iy  Work  during  the  Past  Term 

In  my  work  during  the  past  term,  I  had  more  difficulty 
with  Latin  and  German  than  with  any  other  studies. 

144.  The  beginning  of  a   new  division,  either  of  a  Distinct 
whole  composition  or  of  a  paragraph,  should  be  clearly   t^on^of^a" 
marked,  so  that  the  reader  will  not  begin  reading  the  new  part 
new  division  supposing  that  the  preceding  division  still 
continues.     For  marking  the  beginning  of  a  new  part, 

the  following  are  useful  means : 

(a)  A  transitional  sentence  or  group  of  sentences,  such   Transi- 
asthefoUowing:  *"- 

So  much  for  [the  subject  of  the  preceding  division],    paragraph 
It  remains  to  mention  [the  subject  of  the  new  division]. 

(6)  Connective  words,  phrases,  and  other  expressions,  Connec- 

such  as  again;  in  the  second  place;  another  cause  o/[the  *^J^  words 

subject  under  which  the  several  divisions  fall] ;  equally  im-  phrases 
poii^ant  with  the  preceding  consideration  is  .  .  .  ;  etc. 


66 


STRUCTURE   OF  LARGER   UNITS 


(c)  Placing  near  the  beginning  of  the  first  sentence  of 
the  new  division  the  word  or  words  that  indicate  the  sub- 
ject of  the  new  division.  For  example,  after  discussing 
the  abuses  of  college  athletics,  to  begin  a  new  division 
with  the  words  "  The  remedy  ..."  makes  the  change  of 
topic  immediately  evident.  After  discussing  a  states- 
man's foreign  policy,  to  begin  a  new  division  with  the 
words  "His  internal  administration  .  .  ."  makes  the 
change  of  topic  immediately  evident. 

145.  When  a  sentence  or  a  passage  states  a  con- 
sequence  of  what  precedes,  this  relation,  unless  it  is 
immediately  obvious,  should  be  indicated  by  some  con- 
nective word,  phrase,  or  other  expression,  such  as  there' 
fore,  hence,  for  this  reason j  the  result  is  ,  .  .,  etc. 

146.  When  a  passage  makes  an  abatement  from  a 
preceding  assertion,  this  relation  should  usually  be 
indicated  by  some  connective,  such  as  to  be  sure;  I 
admit;  there  is,  to  be  sure,  an  exception  .  .  .  ;  etc. 

147.  When  a  passage  makes  a  statement  contrasting 
with  what  precedes,  this  relation  should  usually  be  in- 
dicated by  some  connective,  such  as  but,  yet,  on  the  other 
hand,  nevertheless,  houjever,  etc. 

148.  Lack  of  connective  words  or  sentences  between 
a  statement  and  a  contradiction  of  it  is  especially  apt  to 
cause  incoherence. 

Incoherent :  Some  people  think  clerking  is  an  easy  job 
and  that  a  clerk  ought  never  to  be  tired.  Clerks  stay 
closely  housed  day  after  day,  working  from  six  in  the 
morning  to  ten  at  night.  .  .  . 

Coherent  [the  necessary  connective  is  supplied]  :  Some 
people  think  the  occupation  of  a  clerk  is  easy  and 
that  a  clerk  ought  never  to  be  tired.  This  is  not  the 
case.  In  the  first  place,  clerks  stay  closely  housed 
day  after  dav.  etc. 


II.    PUTTING  DISCOURSE   ON    PAPER 

Spelling 

149.  A  monosyllable  or  a  word  accented  on  the  last  Doubling 
syllable,  if  it   ends  in  one  consonant  preceded  by  one  sonants: 
vowel,  doubles  the  final  consonant  when  a  suffix  begin-  Qg^g^al 
ning  with  a  vowel  is  added.     Thus  :  hid,  hidden  ;  quiz,   rule 
quizzes,     (See  Exercises  XLV,  XLVI.) 

150.  From  the  foregoing  rule  it  follows  that  a  verb  of  Before 
one  syllable  or  a  verb  accented  on  the  last  syllable,  if  it  g^^  ^^ 
ends  in  one  consonant  preceded  by  one  vowel,  doubles  the 

final  consonant  when  ed  or  ing  is  added.     Thus  :  drop, 
dropped,  dropping.     (See  Exercises  XLV,  XLVI.) 

151.  Words  ending  in  silent  e  usually  drop  the  e  before  Dropping 
a  suffix  beginning  with  a  vowel.     Thus:  love,  lovahle  ;     ^^  ^* 
stone,  stony.     (See  Exercises  XLVII,  XLVIII.)  ^^^^^^al 

152.  From  the  foregoing  rule  it  follows  that  a  verb   Before 
ending  in  silent  e  drops  the  e  when  ing  is  added.     Thus ;   *^^ 
shine,  shining,     (See  Exercise  XLVIII.) 

153.  An  exception  to  Rule  151 :  Words  ending  in  ce  Deriva- 
or  ge  do  not  drop  the  e  when  ous  or  ahle  is  added,  ^o^ds^^n"^ 
Thus  :   notice,  noticeahle  ;  outrage,  outrageous.     (See  ce  and  ge 
Exercise  XLIX.) 

Note.  —  C  and  g  in  words  of  French,  Latin,  and  Greek 
derivation  usually  have  the  soft  sound  before  6,  i,  and  y, 
as  cede,  genial^  civile  giant^  cyanide^  gymnasium  ;  elsewhere 
they  have  the  hard  sound,  as  calendar^  Gallic,  code,  gorgouy 
acute,  gusto.  (Get,  geese,  gew-gaw,  geld,  giddy,  gift,  gig, 
giggle,  gild,  begin,  gird,  girdle,  girl,  and  give  are  not  of 
the  above-mentioned  derivation.)  Notice  how  the  principle 
67 


68 


SPELLING 


applies  to  accent,  accident,  flaccid,  occiput,  accept,  accurate^ 
desiccate,  except,  excuse.  On  account  of  this  principle,  the 
e  must  be  retained  in  such  words  as  noticeable  and  cour- 
ageous, in  order  to  keep  the  soft  sound  of  c  and  g, 

154.  A  noun  ending  in  y  preceded  by  a  consonant 
forms  the  plural  in  ies ;  as  library,  libraries,  A  noun 
ending  in  y  preceded  by  a  vowel  forms  the  plural  in  ys ; 
as  valley,  valleys.     (  See  Exercise  L.) 

155.  A  verb  ending  in  y  preceded  by  a  consonant 
forms  its  present  third  singular  in  ies  and  its  past  in  ied. 
Thus :  rely,  relies,  relied  ;  marry,  marries,  married. 
(See  Exercise  LL) 

156.  Verbs  ending  in  ie  change  ie  to  y  before  ing. 
Thus  :  lie,  lying.     (  See  Exercise  LII.) 

157.  Nouns  ending  in  a  consonant  add  es,  to  form 
the  plural,  when  the  plural  has  an  extra  syllable ;  when 
the  plural  has  no  extra  syllable,  they  add  only  s.  Thus : 
lass,  lasses  ;  lad,  lads.     ( See   Exercise  LIU.) 

158.  Verbs  ending  in  a  consonant  add  es  to  make 
the  present  third  singular  form  when  that  form  has  an 
extra  syllable ;  when  it  has  no  extra  syllable,  they  add 
only  s.  Thus :  miss,  misses  ;  proclaim,  proclaims. 
(  See  Exercise  LIV.) 

159.  In  case  of  doubt  whether  to  use  the  digraph  ei 
or  the  digraph  ie  in  words  like  receive  and  believe,  the 
question  may  be  determined  by  reference  to  the  word 
Celia.  If  c  precedes  the  digraph,  e  follows  the  c,  as  in 
Celia.  Thus :  receive,  conceive,  perceive,  deceive.  If 
I  precedes  the  digraph,  i  follows  the  I,  as  in  Celia. 
Thus  :  believe,  relieve.     (See  Exercise  LXI.) 

160.  In  case  of  doubt  whether  to  use  principal  or 
principle,  remember  that  the  word  which  contains  a  (prin- 
cipal) is  the  adjective,  and  the  other  word  the  noun. 
(See  Exercises  LXXI,  LXXII.) 


SPELLING  69 

Note.  —  Principal  meaning  a  school  officer  is  an  adjective 
modifying  a  noun  (officer)  understood.  Principal  meaning 
a  sum  of  money  is  an  adjective  modifying  a  noun  (sum)  un- 
derstood. 

161.  In  modem  prose  (the  rule  does  not  hold  in 
poetry)  the  spellings  0  and  oJi  of  the  common  interjec- 
tion are  employed  as  follows  :  0  is  used  when  the  inter- 
jection serves  as  the  poetic  or  archaic  sign  of  direct 
address ;  as  "  I  am  come,  0  Caesar,"  "  0  ye  spirits  of 
our  fathers,"  "  0  God,  we  pray  thee,"  "  I  fear  for  thee, 
0  my  country."  When  the  interjection  is  used  in  any 
other  way  than  as  the  sign  of  direct  address,  —  that  is, 
in  the  great  majority  of  cases,  — it  is  spelled  oh  ;  e.g., 
"  Oh  no,  it  is  no  trouble,"  ''  Oh  !  you  ought  not  to  do 
that,"  "  My  child  !  oh,  my  child  ! "  "I  will  do  it  —  and 
oh,  by  the  way,  where's  the  key  ? " 

Note. —  0  should  always  be  capitalized,  and,  when  used 
in  the  manner  stated  above,  should  not  be  followed  by  any 
mark  of  punctuation.  Oh  is  not  capitalized  except  at  the 
beginning  of  a  sentence,  and  may  be  followed  by  an  excla- 
mation point,  a  comma,  or  no  mark  at  all. 

162.  The  misspelling  of  the  following  words  should  A  list  of 
be  avoided  with  particular  care : 
Accommodate. 
Across.    Notice  that  in  across,  amount,  apart,  and  arouse, 

the  consonant  following  a  is  not  doubled. 
Advice  (noun),  advise  (verb).     See  Exercise  LXXIII. 
All  right.     Two  words.     There  is  no  such  word  as  "  alright." 
Altar  ('*  the  altar  of  the  church  ").     Alter  is  a  verb. 
Amount.     See  the  note  after  Across. 
Angel    ("the    angel    Gabriel").      Angle    means    corner- 

Associate  angel  with  angelic. 
Apart.     See  the  note  after  Across. 
Apparatus. 

Arouse.     See  the  note  after  Across. 
Arrange. 
Arrive,  arrival. 
Ascend,  ascent.     Cf.  descend,  descent. 


70  SPELLING 

Athletic,  athletics,  athlete 

Awkward. 

Balance. 

Believe.     See  Eule  159,  and  Exercise  LXI. 

Benefit,  beneficial. 

Boundary. 

Burglar. 

Business.    See  Exercise  LXV. 

Choose,  chose,  chosen. 

Coming.     See  Rules  151,  152  ;  and  see  Exercise  XLVIIL 

Commit,  commission,  committee. 

Comparative. 

Consent. 

Deceased  ("his  deceased  uncle").  Diseased  means 
afflicted  icith  disease. 

Definite.     Cf.  infinite. 

Descend,  descent.     Cf.  ascend,  ascent. 

Describe,  description. 

Desert  ("a barren  desert ").  Dessert  means  last  course  of 
a  meal. 

Device  (noun),  devise  (verb).     See  Exercise  LXXIII. 

Different,  difference.  Cf .  excellent,  excellence ;  independent, 
independence. 

Dining  room.  See  Rules  151,  152 ;  and  see  Exercise 
XLVIII. 

Disappear.  |  g^^  ^^^^^.^^  j^^jj^ 

Disappomt.  j 

Discipline.     Cf.  fascinate. 

Eighths  (*' three  eighths"  etc.).  Cf.  hundredths,  thou- 
sandths. 

Embarrass,  embarrassment. 

Etc.  Abbreviation  for  et  cetera. 

Excellent,  excellence.  Cf.  different,  difference ;  indepen- 
dent, independence. 

Existence.  Cf.  experience,  sentence,  reference,  preference, 
deference,  conference,  inference. 

Experience.     See  Existence. 

Fascinate.    Cf.  discipline. 

Finally.     See  Exercise  LV. 

Formerly,     Not  to  be  confused  with  formally 

Forty.     But  four,  fourteen. 

Grammar. 


SPELLING  71 

Grievous.     Cf.  mischievous. 

Guard. 

Height.  There  is  no  such  word  as  ''heighth."  Highth  is 
obsolete. 

Humorous.     See  Exercise  LIX. 

Hundredths.     Cf.  eigliths,  thousandths. 

Impromptu. 

Incident.     Not '' incidence." 

Independent,  independence.  Cf.  different,  difference,  ex- 
cellent, excellence. 

Infinite.    Cf.  definite. 

Invitation. 

Itself.     Cf.  oneself.     See  Rule  164. 

Laboratory. 

Laid.     Not  "layed." 

Later  ("sooner  or  later"). 

Latter  ("the  former,  the  latter"). 

Led.    See  Exercise  LXVII. 

Lightning. 

Lose.     See  Exercise  LXVI. 

Macaulay. 

Mathematics. 

Meant. 

Messenger. 

Mischievous.     Cf.  grievous. 

Month. 

Murmur. 

Mystery,  mysterious. 

Necessary,  necessity. 

Niagara. 

Occasion,  occasional,  occasionally.     See  Exercise  LVI. 

Occur,  occurred,  occurring,  occurrence.  See  Rules  149, 
150  ;  and  see  Exercises  XLV,  XLVI. 

Officer.     Cf .  prisoner. 

Omit,  omission. 

Oneself.    Cf.  itself.    See  Rule  164. 

Operate,  operation. 

Opportunity. 

Origin,  original. 

Parallel. 

Partner. 

Possess,  possession. 


72  SPELLING 

Precede,  proceed,  recede,  concede,  succeed,  supersede.    See 

Exercise  LXIV. 
Preference     See  Existence. 
Preparation. 

Principal   )  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^^  Exercises  LXXI,  LXXIL 

Principle.  ) 

Prisoner.    Cf.  officer. 

Privilege 

Proceed.   See  Precede. 

Profession,  »  g^^  ^^^^^.^^  lXIII. 

Professor.    ) 

Prove 

Pursue. 

Quiet. 

Rapid. 

Receive.    See  Rule  159  and  Exercise  LXL 

Recognize. 

Recommend,  recommendation. 

Reference.   See  Existence. 

Repetition. 

Safety. 

Sentence.   See  Existence. 

Separate,  separation. 

Similar. 

Sophomore. 

Specimen. 

Speech.    But  speak. 

Stretch. 

Studying. 

Surprise. 

Symmetry,  symmetrical. 

Their. 

Therefore.    Not  "  therefor,"  which  =/6>r  t^. 

Thorough. 

Thousandths.    Cf.  eighths,  hundredths. 

Together. 

Too.    See  Exercise  LXVIII 

Trulv. 

Until. 

Vengeance. 

Village. 

Villain. 


LEGIBILITY 


73 


Weak  {z=  feeble-). 

Week  (  =  seven  days). 

Woman. 

Writer,  writing.      See  Rules  151,  162  ;  and  see  Exercises 

XLVII,  XLVIIL 
Yacht. 

163.    The  members  of  eacji  of  the  following  italicized   Incorrect 
expressions  should  be  written  as  separate  words  : 


all  right 

all  ready  (adjective) 

near  by 

some  time  (noun) 

some  day 

every  time 

a  while  (noun) 

(on  the)  other  hand 


per  cent.  (See  Rule  4  i) 

in  order 

in  spite 

any  one 

every  one 

some  one 

no  one 


words 


164.    Each  of  the   following   expressions   should  be 
written  as  a  single  undivided  word  : 


myself 

yourself 

himself 

herself 

itself 

oneself 

anybody 

everybody 

somebody 

nobody 


anything 

something 

sometimes 

somewhat 

whoever 

whatever 

whichever 

whenever 

wherever 


altogether 

although 

inasmuch 

moreover 

notwithstanding 

nevertheless 

nowadays 

farewell 

outside 


already  {adverb)  inside 


Legibility 

165.  Let  a  liberal  space  intervene  between  consecutive 
lines  in  a  manuscript.  Do  not  let  the  loops  of /'s,  g'^s, 
fs,  q^s,  y^s,  and  z[s  in  any  line  descend  below  the  general 
level  of  the  loops  of  Vs,  fs,  h^s,  ¥s,  and  Vs,  in  the  line 
below.     (Compare  Plates  I  and  II.) 

166.  Do  not  crowd  consecutive  words  close  together. 
(Compare  Plates  I  and  II.) 


74 


LEGIBILITY 


^     (Mco      Tj<^     cot-coo     orH     ^j;;:!;';;^;:; 


LEGIBILITY 


75 


1'1^  riTl  ^ 


^"^ 

i 


4 


^       "•      1        d     ^       i     ^     >^     7? 

r  H  .,  I J  a  J  .i 


1 


(NCOrtliO  COt>-C0C> 


76 


LEGIBILITY 


167.  Between  a  period,  a  question  mark,  an  exclama- 
tion mark,  a  semicolon,  a  colon,  a  word  immediately  be- 
fore a  direct  quotation,  the  last  word  of  a  direct  quota- 
tion,—  between  any  of  these  and  a  word  following  on  the 
same  line,  leave  double  the  usual  space  between  words. 
(See  Plate  II,  lines  1,  2,  3,  and  9 ;  and  compare  the  cor- 
responding places  in  Plate  I.) 

168.  Do  not  crowd  marks  of  punctuation  close  to  one 
another  or  to  the  words  next  them.  (See  Plate  I,  lines 
1,  2,  and  9,  and  compare  the  corresponding  places  in 
Plate  II.) 

169.  Do  not  crowd  the  writing  at  the  bottom  of  a 
page ;  take  a  new  page. 

170.  Do  not  leave  gaps  between  consecutive  letters  in 
a  word.  Especially  avoid  leaving  a  wide  interval  be- 
tween an  initial  capital  and  the  rest  of  the  word. 

171.  Do  not  write  and  on  an  oblique  line. 

172.  Do  not  neglect  dotting  fs  and  fs  and  crossing  fs 
and  x\s. 

173.  Place  the  cross  of  a  ^  across  the  stem  of  the  t, 
not  elsewhere.  Place  the  dot  of  an  i  or  a  j  immediately 
above  the  i  or  the  j,  not  elsewhere. 

174.  Making  the  crosses  of  fs  conspicuous  for  their 
length,  peculiar  shape,  or  peculiar  direction  is  a  hindrance 
to  legibility  and  an  annoyance  to  the  reader.  Cross  a  t 
with  a  straight  horizontal  stroke  not  more  than  a  quarter 
of  an  inch  long. 

175.  Form  quotation  marks  and  apostrophes,  not  as 
in  this  illustration  : 


a^^^s    ^....^  ^   ^^hi^Vs  tU 


>»? 


but  as  in  this  : 


-7Z7   u     '/hLu^  'iLt 


ARRANGEMENT  OF  MANUSCRIPT  77 

[te  Roman  numbers,  not  in  thi 

ri,  m.  :y.  ytti.  rx 


176.    Write  Roman  numbers,  not  in  this  manner  :  Shape  of 

Roman 
numbers 


but  in  this :      .^^    ...^         ,_      --— . 

177.  In  forming  a  letter  do  not  decorate  with  flour-  Conspicu- 
ishes  not  necessary  for  identifying  it,  or  with  conspicuous  ^^j^t^^^' 
shading.     Avoid  especially  such  forms  as  the  following : 

Prefer  plain  forms  like  the  following  : 

Z3,  C.  ^.  i  .    F,   14,   hi,  h.   er .  r. 

Arrangement  of  Manuscript 
Tlie  Manuscript  as  a   Whole 

178.  The  paper  for  the  manuscript  of  a  literary  com-  Writing 
position  should  be  unruled,  unless  special  circumstances,   ^^  ®"^  ^ 
such  as  the  regulations  of  a  class,  require  the  contrary. 

The  writing  should  be  done  either  with  a  typewriter  or  side  of 
with  black  ink.     Only  one  side  of  each  sheet  of  paper  P^P^r  to 
should  be  written  on.     A  manuscript  should  never  be 
rolled ;  it  should  go  to  its  destination  either  flat,  or  folded  ^^^  p°f, 
as  simply  as  possible.  missible 

Pages 

179.  The  pages  of  a  manuscript  should  be  numbered  Page 
at  the  top,  in  Arabic,  not  Roman  numbers. 

180.  The  title  should  be  written  at  least  two  inches  Position 
from  the  top  of  the  page.     Between  the  title  and  the  first       *^*  ® 
line  of  the  composition,  at  least  an  inch  should  intervene. 

181.  The  first  line  of  each  page  should  stand  at  least  Margin  at 
an  inch  from  the  top  of  the  page.  *^®  *^P 

182.  There  should  be  a  blank  margin  of  at  least  two  Margin  at 
inches  at  the  left  side  of  each  page.  *^®  ^®^* 


78 


ARRANGEMENT   OF  MANUSCRIPT 


Indention : 
Of  or- 
dinary 
para- 
graphs 

Of  num- 
bered 
para- 
graphs 


Irregular 
indention 


Incorrect 
indention 

Incorrect 

spacing 

out 


The  funda- 
mental 
principle 


Paragraphs 
Mechanical  Marks  of  a  Paragraph 

183.  In  manuscript  the  first  line  of  every  paragraph 
should  be  indented  at  least  an  inch.     (See  Plate  II,  line  1.) 

184.  No  exception  to  the  foregoing  rule  should  be 
made  when  paragraphs  are  numbered. 

Wrong : 

I.  What  power  has  Congress  to  punish  crimes  ? 

II.  State  in  what  cases  the  Supreme  Court  has  origi- 
nal jurisdiction. 

III.  How  are  presidential  electors  chosen  ?  Would 
it  be  constitutional  for  a  State  legislature  to  choose 
them? 

Right : 

I.  What  power  has  Congress  to  punish  crimes  ? 

II.  State  in  what  cases  the  Supreme  Court  has 
original  jurisdiction. 

III.  How  are  presidential  electors  chosen  ? 
Would  it  be  constitutional  for  a  State  legislature  to 
choose  them  ? 

185.  The  first  lines  of  all  paragraphs  should  begin  at 
the  same  distance  from  the  margin ;  do  not  indent  the 
beginning  of  one  paragraph  an  inch,  that  of  another  two 
inches,  that  of  another  half  an  inch,  etc. 

186.  No  line  except  the  first  line  of  a  paragi*aph 
should  be  indented  in  the  slightest. 

187.  After  the  end  of  a  sentence  do  not  leave  the 
remainder  of  the  line  blank  unless  the  sentence  ends  a  para- 
graph ;  begin  the  next  sentence  on  the  same  line,  if  there  is 
room.     This  rule  is  violated  in  Plate  I.  line  4. 

Division  of  a  Composition  into  Paragraphs 
Paragraphing  as  an  Aid  to  Clearness 

188.  Paragraphing,  if  properly  employed,  gives  the 
reader  as  much  assistance  in  understanding  a  whole  com- 
position as  punctuation  gives  him  in  understanding  a  sen- 


PARAGRAPHS  79 

tence.  Parts  of  a  composition  that  are  distinct  in  topic 
may  by  paragraphing  be  made  distinct  to  the  eye  also,  — 
an  effect  that  decidedly  promotes  clearness.  For  instance, 
suppose  an  essay  on  Queen  Elizabeth  discusses  three 
topics :  (1)  Elizabeth's  personal  character,  (2)  her  char- 
acter as  a  ruler,  and  (3)  her  popularity  with  her  subjects. 
To  embody  the  three  passages  corresponding  to  these 
three  topics  in  separate  paragraphs  makes  evident  at 
once  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  each  passage,  and  thus 
enables  the  reader  to  grasp  without  effort  the  struc- 
ture of  the  essay.  On  this  consideration  are  based  the 
following  rules  (189-193)  : 

189.  A  passage  entirely  distinct  in  topic  from  what  Applica- 
precedes  and  follows  should  (except  when  Eule  207  ap-  /J^'para- 
plies)  be  written  as  a  separate  paragraph.  graphing 

rr,,  T  •  .  of  distinct 

Thus,  suppose  an  essay  on  gasolme  engmes  presents —  parts 

(m)  An  explanation  of  the  operation  of  gasoline  engines. 
(n)  An  estimate  of  gasoline  engines  as  compared  witih 
other  kinds  of  engines. 

Parts  m  and  n  should  be  embodied  in  separate  para- 
graphs.    Suppose  a  story  tells  — 

(m)  The  hero's  visit  to  the  bank  and  his  transactions 

there, 
(w)  What   was  happening  meanwhile    at   the   hero's 

factory. 

Parts  m  and  n  should  be  embodied  in  separate  para- 
graphs. 

190.  A  passage  that  serves  as  an  introduction  or  a   Para- 

conclusion  to  a  composition  consistiner  of  several  para-  ^^^P^s  of 
11111  11  1  -n  '  mtroduc- 

graphs  should  be  paragraphed  separately,  even  if  it  con-  tion  and 

sists  of  only  one  or  two  sentences.  conclusion 

Correct  paragraphing: 

The  large  body  of  recent  State  legislation  compelling 
railway  companies  to  reduce  passenger  fares,  though 


80  ARRANGEMENT   OF  MANUSCRIPT 

it  probably  sprang  from  good  intentions,  is  likely  to 
have  three  unfortunate  consequences. 

[  The  main  body  of  the  essay  consists  of  three  para^ 
graphs,  each  discussing  one  of  the  three  unfortunate 
consequences.'] 

One  can  not  foretell,  of  course,  how  many  years  will 
elapse  before  these  three  results  of  the  recent  railway 
legislation  will  work  themselves  out;  it  may  be  five 
years,  or  it  may  be  a  dozen.  But  that  they  will  sooner 
or  later  work  themselves  out  seems,  in  the  light  of 
history,  practically  certain. 

Para-  191-   ^  passage  that  serves  merely  to  make  a  transi- 

graphs  of     tion  from  one  group  of  paragraphs  to  a  following  group 
transition      i       1 1  i  ^     ^  .   i 

should  be  paragraphed  separately. 

Correct  paragraphing : 

\_The  achievements  of  Macaulay  as  a  man  of  letters 
are  discussed  for  three  or  four  paragraphs.] 

Macaulay's  political  achievements,  though  less  dis- 
tinguished than  his  literary  achievements,  are  worthy 
of  a  somewhat  detailed  notice. 

\_Two  or  three  paragraphs  follow^  dealing  with 
Macaulay'' s political  career.] 

Para-  192.    In  narratives,  as  a  rule,  any  direct  quotation,  to- 

graphing      gether  with  the  rest  of  the  sentence  of  which  it  is  a  part, 
quotations   should  be  paragraphed  separately.    (See  Exercise  LXXIX. ) 

Right : 

There  were  no  takers.  Not  a  man  believed  him  capa- 
ble of  the  feat.  Thornton  had  been  hurried  into  the 
wager,  heavy  with  doubt ;  and  now  that  he  looked  at  the 
sled  itself,  the  concrete  fact,  with  the  regular  team  of  ten 
dogs  curled  up  in  the  snow  before  it,  the  more  impossible 
the  task  appeared.     Mathewson  waxed  jubilant. 

"  Three  to  one,"  he  proclaimed.  "  Til  lay  you  another 
thousand  at  that  figure,  Thornton.     What  d'ye  say  ?  " 

Thornton's  doubt  was  strong  in  his  face,  but  his  fight- 
ing spirit  was  aroused  —  the  fighting  spirit  that  soars 
above  odds,  fails  to  recognize  the  impossible,  and  is 
deaf  to  all  save  the  clamor  for  battle.  He  called  Hans 
and  Pete  to  him.     Their  sacks  were  .  .  . 


PARAGRAPHS  81 

133.    Rule  192  should  be  especially  observed  in  the  Dialogue 
report  of  a  con versation  ;  each  speech,  regardless  of  length, 
should  be  paragraphed  separately.    (See  Exercise  LXXIX.) 

Wrong  : 

"  When  did  you  arrive  ?  "  I  asked.     **  An  hour  ago," 
he  answered.     "Didn't  you  get  my  letter?"     "No." 
"Strange,"  he  said. 
Right : 

"  When  did  you  arrive  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  An  hour  ago,"  he  answered.  "  Didn't  you  get  my 
letter?" 

"No." 

"  Strange,"  he  said. 

194.  Observe  that  in  order  to  paragraph  an  isolated  Indention 
quotation  separately  (as  is  done  in  the  example  under  Rule  quotation 
192),  the  line  following  the  quotation  must  be  indented. 

195.  A  quotation  may  be  detached  by  paragraphing  indention 
from  the  introductory  expression  (e.^.,  he  said)  if  this   ^^•^*^?  ^ 
expression  precedes  it.  sentence 

Right : 

Mr.  Peggotty  looked  round  upon  us  and  nodding  his 
head  with  a  lively  expression  animating  his  face,  said 
in  a  whisper, 

"She's  been  thinking  of  the  old  'un." 

But   a   quotation   should   not  be  so  detached  from  the 
introductory  expression  if  the  quotation  does  not  close 
the  sentence. 
Wrong : 

Thinking  I  could  stand  it  if  my  friend  could,  I  called 
out  to  him, 

"Come  on.    Who's  afraid?"  and  started  into  the 
house. 
Wrong : 

Thinking  I  could  stand  it  if  my  friend  could,  I  called 
out  to  him, 

"  Come  on.    Who's  afraid  ?  " 
and  started  into  the  house. 


82 


ARRANGEMENT   OF   MANUSCRIPT 


Right : 

Thinking  I  could  stand  it  if  my  friend  could,  I  called 
out  to  him,  "  Come  on.  Who's  afraid  ?  "  and  started 
into  the  house. 


(ii)  Group- 
ing of  re- 
lated parts 


Improper 
para- 
graphing 
of  minute 
parts 


196.  When  several  consecutive  short  passages  present 
slightly  different  topics,  yet  collectively  form  a  larger 
division,  distinct  from  other  divisions  of  the  composition, 
it  is  disadvantageous  to  write  the  short  passages  apart 
from  each  other,  for  this  gives  the  reader  no  visible  indi- 
cation of  the  distinctness  and  unity  of  the  larger  division. 
The  distinctness  and  unity  of  the  whole  division  should 
be  made  apparent,  rather  than  the  individuality  of  its 
parts.     Hence  the  following  rule  : 

197.  Several  consecutive  short  passages  composing  a 
larger  unit  of  a  composition  should  not  be  written  each 
in  a  separate  paragraph,  but  should  be  combined  into 
one  paragraph. 

Thus  in  an  essay  on  a  steel  factory,  describing  — 

(a)    The  process  of  sheet-rolling, 
(6)   The  process  of  rail-rolling, 
(c)    The  process  of  casting, 

part  h  should  not  be  written  as  follows : 

Steel  ingots  six  feet  long  and  six  inches  square  were 
heated  to  a  white  heat  in  a  large  oven. 

When  sufficiently  hot,  an- ingot  was  removed  and 
taken  on  an  endless  chain  to  the  first  set  of  rollers. 

These  rollers  were  eighteen  inches  in  diameter.  When 
the  ingot  had  been  passed  through  them,  it  was  a  bar 
of  steel  ten  feet  long  and  five  inches  thick. 

Then  the  bar  of  steel  was  put  on  another  endless  chain 
and  taken  to  a  second  pair  of  rollers. 

This  process  was  continued,  the  bar  being  passed  suc- 
cessively through  five  or  six  pairs  of  rollers. 

It  came  from  the  last  pair  a  red-hot  rail  of  standard 
size. 


PARAGRAPHS  83 

It  was  next  bent  slightly  so  that  the  base  was  convex. 
This  was  to  allow  for  unequal  contraction  in  cooling. 

The  rail  was  now  left  to  cool. 

When  cold,  it  was  taken  to  the  cold  rollers  and  rolled 
perfectly  straight. 

The  foregoing  passage  should  be  written  as  a  single  para- 
graph ;  and  so  should  part  a  and  part  c  of  the  same 
essay. 

198.  The  beginning  of  a  new  paragraph  naturally  leads  (iii)  Para- 
the  reader  to  think  that  the  discussion  of  a  new  topic  is  |5f^j.e^°^ 
beginning.     Therefore,  to  begin  a  new  paragraph  where  there  is 
the  discussion  of  a  new  topic  does  not  begin  misleads  the  of  topic^^ 
reader.     Hence  the  following  rule  : 

199.  A  sentence  that  does  not  introduce  a  new  topic 
but  continues  the  topic  of  the  preceding  sentence  should 
not  be  made  to  begin  a  new  paragraph. 

The  paragraphing  in  the  following  passage,  for  example, 
is  illogical  and  objectionable  : 

The  beauty  of  Fra  Angelico's  character  has  been  the 
admiration  of  all  who  ever  studied  the  life  of  that 
devout  and  gentle  artist.  He  might  have  lived  in 
ease  and  comfort,  for  his  art  would  have  made  him 
rich  ;  instead,  he  chose  the  cloister  life.  Fra  Angelico 
was  gentle  and  kindly  to  all. 

He  was  never  seen  to  display  anger  and  if  he  admon- 
ished his  friends,  it  was  with  mildness.  .  .  . 

In  this  passage,  the  discussion  of  the  gentleness  of  Fra 
Angelico  begins  in  the  sentence  "Fra  Angelico  was 
gentle,"  etc. ;  the  sentence  "He  was  never,"  etc.,  contin- 
ues the  discussion  of  this  topic  —  does  not  introduce  a 
new  topic.  Hence,  there  should  be  no  paragraph  divi- 
sion where  one  now  stands;  the  sentence  "  He  was  never," 
etc.,  should  follow  without  a  break. 

200.  A  paragraph,  by  its  visible  detachment  from    (i^)  Unity 
what  precedes  and  follows,  suggests  the  unity  of  the  pas-   paragraph 


84 


ARRANGEMENT  OF   MANUSCRIPT 


sage  it  embodies.  A  passage  not  having  unity  should 
therefore  not  be  put  into  one  paragraph  and  thus  pre- 
sented under  the  guise  of  unity.    Hence  the  following  rule  : 

201.  See  that  every  paragraph  has  one  central  topic, 
under  which  all  the  statements  in  the  paragraph 
logically  fall. 

Note.  — The  presence,  in  a  paragraph  of  an  expository 
essay,  of  several  passages  not  belonging,  or  seeming  not  to 
belong,  to  a  single  topic,  usually  points  to  bad  organization 
of  the  essay  (see  Rules  140,  141),  or  to  bad  organization  of 
the  passage  embodied  in  the  paragraph  (see  Rule  142). 


Sentences 
made  con- 
spicuous 
by  detach- 
ment 


Paragraphing  for  Emphasis 
202.    A  sentence  or  a  short  passage  which  the  writer 
wishes  to  make  especially  emphatic  may  be  paragraphed 
separately. 

Thus,  in  the  following  passage  the  italicized  part  does 
not  require  to  be  paragraphed  as  being  distinct  from  the 
preceding  part;  but  it  may  properly  be  set  apart  for 
emphasis. 

Indefinite  narrative  should  not  be  entirely  avoided  ; 
it  is  useful,  and  for  some  purposes  is  preferable  to  con- 
crete narrative.  Parts  of  a  story  that  are  not  of  dra- 
matic interest,  speeches  that  are  of  no  interest  or 
importance,  —  these  may  properly  be  conveyed  by  in- 
definite rather  than  by  concrete  narrative.  But  remem- 
ber this  : 

Actions  occurring  at  important  points  of  a  story  should 
he  related  by  concrete^  not  indefinite  narrative. 


Unbroken 
text  fa- 
tiguing 


Neglect 
of  para- 
graphing 


Paragraphing  for  Ease  in  Reading 

203.  Reading  an  extended  composition  or  passage  in 
the  text  of  which  there  are  no  breaks  to  rest  the  eye,  is 
fatiguing.     Hence  the  following  rules  (204  and  205)  : 

204.  A  composition  more  than  300  words  long  should 
not  be  written  without  paragraphing. 


WRITING  VERSE  85 

205.  A  passage  more  than  300  words  long,  even  if  Para- 
it  constitutes  a  single  unit  of  the  composition,  should  foo^ong 
usually  not  be  written  as  a  single  paragraph,  but  should 

be  divided  into  two  or  three  paragraphs  of  convenient 
length  {i.e.,  not  longer  than  200  words). 
Thus,  an  essay  on  Lincoln,  presenting  — 

1.  A  narrative  of  his  life  (350  words) 

2.  An  estimate  of  his  greatness  (100  words) 

should  not  be  written  as  two  paragraphs  corresponding 
to  the  two  main  divisions  of  the  material,  but  should  be 
paragraphed  in  some  such  way  as  the  following : 

t  Events  of  life  up  to  1860  (200  words) 

^  Career  as  president  (150  words) 

^  Estimate  of  his  greatness  (100  words) 

206.  On  the  other  hand,  it  should  be  remembered   Over- 
that  reading  a  passage  not  more  than  about  200  words  p^^il^^^^ 
long  is  not  fatiguing  to  the  ordinary  reader,  and   that  graphing 
over-frequent  paragraphing  annoys  as  much  as  lack  of 

any  paragraphing  fatigues.  Hence  the  following  rules 
(207  and  208)  : 

207.  A  composition  no  longer  than  150  words  should 
usually  be  written  without  any  paragraph  divisions. 

208.  Do  not  paragraph  with  needless  frequency  and 
without  good  reason. 


Writivg  Verse 

209.    If  an  entire  line  of  poetry  can  not  be  written  on  Left-over 

parts 
Lines 


one  line  of  the  page,  the  part  left  over  should  be  placed  f.^^^^  ^^ 
as  shown  below : 

Right : 
Lombard  and  Venetian  merchants  with  deep-laden 

argosies ; 
Ministers   from   twenty  nations ;    more   than   royal 
pomp  and  ease. 


86  ARRANGEMENT  OF   MANUSCRIPT 

Wrong : 
Lombard  and  Venetian  merchants  with  deep-laden 
argosies ; 

Ministers  from  twenty  nations ;  more  than  royal 
pomp  and  ease. 

Grouping         210.    A  quotation  of  poetry  should  be  grouped  into 
interlines     ^^^^^®  exactly  as  the  original  is  grouped. 
Bad: 

Once  to  every  man  and  nation 
Comes  the  moment  to  decide 
In  the  strife  of  truth  with  falsehood  for  the 
Good  or  evil  side. 
Right : 

Once  to  every  man  and  nation  comes  the  moment  to 

decide 
In  the  strife  of  truth  with  falsehood  for  the  good  or 
evil  side. 

Verse  set  211.    A  quotation  of  verse  occurring  in  a  prose  compo- 

the  pa^e       sition  should  begin  on  a  new  line.    The  prose  following  such 

a  quotation  should  also  begin  on  a  new  line,  indented  if  it 

begins  a  new  paragraph,  flush  with  the  left-hand  margin 

if  it  continues  the  paragraph  containing  the  quotation. 

Wrong : 

While  Tennyson  admits  that  sorrow  may  be  for  our 
ultimate  advantage  and  that,  as  his  gi-eat  memorial 
says,  "  Men  may  rise  on  stepping  stones 

Of  their  dead  selves  to  higher  things,'' 

yet  he  finds  it  impossible  to  get  any 
present  consolation  from  the  thought. 
Right : 

While  Tennyson  admits  that  sorrow  may  be  for  our  ul- 
timate advantage  and  that,  as  his  great  memorial  says, 

"  Men  may  rise  on  stepping  stones 
Of  their  dead  selves  to  higher  things," 

yet  he  finds  it  impossible  to  get  any  present  consolation 
from  the  thought. 
See  also  the  first  Bight  example  under  Rule  246 ;  and 
see  p.  V. 


TABULATED   LISTS  87 

Extended  Quotations  of  Prose 

212.  A  passage  of  prose  quoted  from  a  written  com-  Extended 
position  or  a  formal  speech,  if  it  is  three  or  four  sentences  i^^l^^ 
long  or  longer,  should  be  set  apart  from  the  matter  pre-   apart  on 
ceding  and  following  it,  in  the  same  way  as  a  quotation   *  ®  ^^^^ 
of  verse  (see  Rule  211). 

Right : 
The  part    of    the    letter   of    instructions   providing 
for  an  examination  of  candidates  I  quote  verbatim. 
This  part  is  as  follows : 

'*and  that,  furthermore,  all  candidates  be  examined 
as  to  their  knowledge  of  constitutional  law  ;  that  this 
examination  be  conducted  in  writing ;  and  that  the 
following  questions,  among  others,  be  asked  : 

*'  1.    What  power  has  Congress  to  punish  crimes  ? 

*'2.  State  in  what  cases  the  Supreme  Court  has 
original  jurisdiction. 

"8.  How  are  presidential  electors  chosen  ?  Would 
it  be  constitutional  for  a  state  legislature  to  choose 
them  ?  " 

These   instructions,    it  will  be   perceived,  leave   the 
committee   no  discretion   in   regard  to  waiving  the 
examination. 
For  other  examples  see  Rules  137,  141,  199,  202. 

Tabulated  Lists 

213.  In  a  list  of  items  set  down  in  tabular  form,  the  Indention 
first  line  of  each  item  should  extend  farther  to  the  left 

than  the  remaining  lines  of  the  item. 

Wrong : 

The  principal  powers  of  the  President  are — • 

(a)  The  power  to  conduct  foreign  affairs. 

(b)  The  power   to  command   the    army   and 
navy  in  time  of  war. 

(c)  The  power  to  veto  bills. 

(d)  The    power    to    appoint  officers   (subject 
to  the  approval  of  the  Senate). 


88 


ALTERATIONS   IN   MANUSCRIPT 


Right : 

The  principal  powers  of  the  President  are  — 

(a)  The  power  to  conduct  foreign  affairs. 
(6)  The    power    to    command   the  army  and 
navy  in  time  of  war. 

(c)  The  power  to  veto  bills. 

(d)  The  power  to  appoint  officers  (subject  to 

the  approval  of  the  Senate). 

214.  A  list  of  items  in  tabular  form  should  be  set 
apart  from  the  matter  preceding  and  following  it,  in  the 
same  manner  as  a  quotation  of  verse  (see  Eule  211). 

Bad: 

Under  this  subject  there  are  three  important  headings : 
(a)  Position  of  pronouns 
(6)  Use  of  connectives 

(c)  Position   of   phrases ;  all   of  which  are  to  be 
carefully  studied. 
Right : 
Under  this  subject  there  are  three  important  headings: 
(a)  Position  of  pronouns 
(6)  Use  of  connectives 
(c)    Position  of  phrases 
all  of  which  are  to  be  carefully  studied. 

Note.  —  Another  way  of  correcting  the  errors  above 
shown  is  to  write  the  passage  without  tabulating  the 
items ;  thus : 

Right :  Under  this  subject  there   are  three  important 
headings :    (a)    Position   of    pronouns ;    (b)   Use  of 
connectives  ;  and  (c)  Position  of  subordinate  expres- 
sions ;  all  of  which  are  to  be  carefully  studied. 
For  other  illustrations  of  the  rule  see  Rules  140, 189, 197- 


Alterations  In  Manuscript 

215.  Words  to  be  inserted  should  be  written  above 
the  line,  and  their  proper  position  should  be  indicated  by 
the  sign  a  (not  "  v")  placed  below  the  line.  Words  so 
inserted  should  not  be  enclosed  in  parentheses  or  brackets 


ALTERATIONS  IN  MANUSCRIPT  89 

unless  these  marks  would  be  required  were   the  words 
written  on  the  line. 

;N^ote.  —  Obscurity  results  from  writing  an  insertion  in  the 
manner  shown  in  the  Bad  example  below : 

■"^^  •  as  an  agreeable  means 

Although  tennis  is  at  present  very  popular  j^  it  probably 

of  exercising  the  muscles, 

will  never  rank  with  football  as  a  game  for  supremacy 
between  colleges. 

xvlgnr  .  g^  g^jj  agreeable  means  of  exercising  the  muscles, 

Although  tennis  is  at  present  very  popular  a  it  probably 
will  never  rank  with  football  as  a  game  for  supremacy 
between  colleges. 

rvlgnt ,  gg  g^jj  agreeable  means 

Although  tennis  is  at  present  very  popular  a  it  probably- 

of  exercising  the  muscles,  it  probably 

A  will  never  rank  with  football  as  a  game  for  supremacy 
between  colleges. 

216.  Erasures   should  be   made   by   drawing  a  line  Erasure 
through   the   words   to    be   canceled.      Parentheses    or 
brackets  should  not  be  used  for  this  purpose. 

217.  "Words  written  in  one   place  which  are  to   be  Trans- 
transposed  to  another,  should  be  canceled  (see  Rule  216)  P^^^*^*^^ 
and  inserted  in  the  proper  place  by  the  method  shown 

in  Rule  215.     No  other  method  of  transposition  should 
be  used. 

218.  When  it  is  desired  that  a  word  standing  in  the  Indicating 
midst  of  a  paragraph  should  begin  a  new  paragraph,  the  paragraph 
sign  ^  should  be  placed  immediately  before  that  word. 

The  change  should  not  be  indicated  otherwise. 

219.  A   paragraph    division    should   be    canceled   by  Cancel- 
writing     **No  ^"  in  the  margin.      The  change  should   pafjfgraph 
not  be  indicated  otherwise.  division 


90 


PUNCTUATION 


Close  of  a 
sentence 

Abbrevia- 
tions 


Direct 
address 


Apposi- 
tives 


Absolute 
phrases 


Paren- 
thetic 
members 


Punctuation 

The  Period  (.) 

220.  Use  the  period  — 

(a)    After  a  complete  declarative  or  imperative  sentence. 

(&)  After  an  abbreviated  word  or  a  single  or  double 
initial  letter  representing  a  word ;  as  etc.^  viz.j  Mrs.j  i.e., 
e.g.,  LL.D.,  pp. 

The  Comraa  (,)^ 

221.  Use  the  comma  — 

(a)    To  set  off  a  substantive  used  in  direct  address. 
Right :  You  see,  John,  how  I  stand. 

(&)   To  set  off  appositives. 

Right :  Next  he  went  to  Vienna,  the  capital  of  Austria. 
Note.  —  Exception  to  this  rule  should  be  made  (1)  in  the 
case  of  an  appositive  that  is  a  regular  part  of  a  pro-per  name 
(e.g.,  William  the  Conquoror)  ;  and  (2)  in  the  case  of  ap- 
positives like  the  italicized  expressions  in  the  following 
sentences ; 

Right :  The  word  beautiful  is  an  adjective. 
Right:  The  expression  ^'' Where  am  I  atf'^''  is  a  pro- 
vincialism. 

(c)  To  set  off  absolute  phrases. 

Right:  Everything   being  readij,  the    guard  blew   his 
horn. 

(d)  To  set  off  any  word  or  phrase  which  has  a  paren- 
thetic function  but  for  which  parenthesis  marks  or  double 
dashes  are  not  suitable. 

Right:  He  was  satisfied,  I  suppose,  with  his  situation. 
His  refusal  of  my  offer,  however,  I  don't  understand. 
Note. — For  setting  off  a  parenthetic  expression,  prefer 
commas  to  parenthesis  marks  where  commas  will  make  the 
sentence  clear ;  but  notice  that  the  use  of  commas  for  this 
purpose  may  cause  obscurity  in  some  cases  —  particularly 
when  the  parenthetic  expression  is  a  complete  sentence. 

1  See  Exercise  LXXVII. 


a  con- 
junction 


THE   COMMA  91 

Obscure :  By  all  appearances,  of  course  this  is  a  secret, 
he  is  likely  to  win. 

Clear :  By  all  appearances  (of  course,  this  is  a  secret)  he 
is  likely  to  win  ;  [or]  By  all  appearances  —  of  course, 
this  is  a  secret  —  he  is  likely  to  win  [see  Rule  236  c]. 

(e)    To  set  off  a  geographical  name  explaining  a  pre-  Geo- 
ceding  name.  '       Se'l''"^ 

Right:  Paris,  Illinois,  is  a  smaller  city  than  Paris, 
France. 

(/)  To  separate  coordinate  clauses  connected  by  one  of  Coordi- 

the  simple  conjunctions.     (Cf.  Rule  231  b.)  "f^^^g^g 

Right :  The  train  moved  swiftly,  but  Turner  arrived  too    joined  by 

late. 
Right :  When  they  at  last  met,  and  when  everything  was 
explained,  they  were  friends  again. 

Note.  — The  observance  of  the  foregoing  rule  is  especially    Comma 
important  in  the  case  of  clauses  connected  by  the  coordinat-   before /or 
ing  conjunction  fo7\     Unless  a  comma  is  placed  between 
such  clauses,  the  for  is  liable  to  be  mistaken  momentarily 
for  a  preposition. 

Misleading  :  It  is  a  decided  benefit  for  students  who 
take  exercise  are  not  easily  susceptible  to  sickness. 
Clear:   It  is  a  decided  benefit,  for  students  who  take 
exercise  are  not  easily  susceptible  to  sickness. 

(g)  To  set  off  a  dependent  clause  preceding  its  principal  Dependent 
clause.     When  the  dependent  clause  follows  the  princi-  ^  *^^®® 
pal  clause,  a  comma  is  usually  unnecessary  (but  see  Rules 
h  and  i,  below). 

Right :  When  darkness  comes,  the  candles  are  lit. 

Right :  The  candles  are  lit  when  darkness  comes. 

Right :  If  I  can,  I  will  remove  it. 

Right :  I  will  remove  it  if  I  can. 

For  other  examples  see  the  text  of  Rules  23, 48  a,  62,  145. 

(h)  To  indicate  every  distinct  pause  within  a  sentence,   Distinct 
except  the  pauses  for  which  other  marks  of  punctuation  P^^^®^ 
are  appropriate.     See,  for  example,  the  text  of  Rules  2, 
6,  39,  46,  51,  57,  80,  88,  91,  128,  131. 


92 


PUNCTUATION 


To  prevent 

mistaken 

junction 


Consecu- 
tive 
adjectives 


Series  of 
the  form 
a,  b,  and  c 


Restric- 
tive and 
non-re- 
strictive 
modifiers 


(i)  To  indicate  separation  between  any  sentence-ele- 
ments that  might,  in  reading,  be  improperly  joined  or 
misunderstood,  were  there  no  comma. 

Misleading :  Ever  since  Betty  has  loved  the  flag. 
Clear :  Ever  since,  Betty  has  loved  the  flag. 
Misleading :  On  the  path  leading  to  the  cellar  steps  were 

heard. 
Clear:  On  the  path  leading  to  the  cellar,  steps  were 

heard. 

222.  Two  adjectives  modifying  the  same  noun  should 
be  separated  by  commas  if  they  are  coordinate  in  thought ; 
but  if  the  first  adjective  is  felt  to  be  superposed  on  the 
second,  they  should  not  be  separated  by  a  comma. 

Right :  A  faithful,  sincere  friend.  [The  adjectives  are 
coordinate  in  thought ;  both  modify  "  friend."] 

Right :  A  big  gray  cat.  [The  adjectives  are  not  coordi- 
nate in  thought ;  "  gray  "  modifies  "  cat,"  but  "  big  " 
modifies  '*gray  cat."] 

223.  In  a  series  of  the  form  a,  6,  and  c,  a  comma 
should  precede  the  conjunction.  The  practice  of  omitting 
the  comma  before  the  conjunction  is  illogical  and  is  not 
favored  by  the  best  modern  usage. 

Objectionable :  There  were  blue,  green  and  red  flags. 
[The  punctuation  here  couples  "green"  and  ''red" 
and  makes  them  appear  to  be  set  apart,  as  a  pair, 
from  "blue"  ;  whereas  the  intention  is  to  make  all 
three  adjectives  equally  distinct.] 

Right :  There  were  blue,  green,  and  red  flags. 

For  other  examples,  see  the  text  of  Rules  3,  15,  31,  47, 
122,  144  6,  145,  165,  174,  230. 

224.  Often  a  phrase  or  clause,  though  grammatically 
a  modifier  of  a  preceding  substantive,  is  felt  to  be  not 
an  adjunct  to  that  substantive,  but  rather  a  statement 
added  to  the  main  assertion  of  the  sentence.  Such 
phrases  and  clauses  are  called  non-restrictive.  They 
should  always  be  set  off  by  commas. 


THE   COMMA  93 

A.  Non-restrictive  phrase  correctly  punctuated :  Our 
national  Capitol,  situated  in  Washington^  is  a  mag- 
nificent building. 

B.  Non-restrictive  relative  clause  correctly  punctuated : 
Washington  Irving,  whose  personality  was  genial  and 
charming,  became  very  popular  in  England. 

When  a  phrase  or  clause  modifying  a  preceding  substan- 
tive is  felt  to  be  essentially  a  modifier  restricting  that  sub- 
stantive, it  is  called  a  restrictive  phrase  or  clause.  Such 
phrases  and  clauses  should  not  be  set  off  by  commas. 

C.  Restrictive  phrase  —  commas  correctly  omitted :  The 
house  situated  on  the  northeast  corner  of  the  square 
is  the  one  you  are  seeking. 

Z>.  Restrictive  relative  clause  —  commas  correctly 
omitted :  Every  man  who  holds  such  an  opinion  is 
by  tendency  a  criminal. 

Note. — To  determine  whether  a  given  phrase  or  clause 
is  restrictive  or  non-restrictive,  the  following  test  may  be 
used :  If  the  main  assertion  of  the  sentence  has  the  same 
meaning  when  the  phrase  or  clause  is  omitted  as  it  has  when 
the  phrase  or  clause  is  present  in  the  sentence,  the  phrase  or 
clause  is  non-restrictive ;  if  the  omission  of  the  phrase  or 
clause  changes  the  sense  of  the  main  assertion,  the  phrase 
or  clause  is  restrictive.  Thus,  the  sentence  "Our  national 
Capitol  is  a  magnificent  building''  has  the  same  purport  as 
sentence  A^  above  ;  the  sentence  "Washington  Irving  became 
very  popular  in  England"  has  the  same  purport  as  sentence 
J5,  above.  But  "  The  house  is  the  one  you  are  seeking"  has 
not  the  same  purport  as  sentence  C,  above  ;  nor  has  "  Every 
man  is  by  tendency  a  criminal"  the  same  purport  as  sen- 
tence Z),  above. 

(See  Exercise  LXXV.) 

225.  After  an  interjection  a  comma  is  often  preferable  with  in- 
to an  exclamation  point.  terjectlons 

Right :  Oh,  come  ;  you'd  better. 
Right :  But  alas,  this  was  not  the  case. 

226.  Expressions  like  he  said  preceding  direct  quota-  Before 
tions  in  narrative,  and  such  expressions  preceding  short   quotations 


94 


PUNCTUATION 


Unneces- 
sary 
commas 


Misuse 
before  a 
series 


Misuse 
before  a 
substan- 
tive clause 


direct  quotations  in  general,  should  be  followed  by  a 
comma.  For  illustrations  see  the  Right  examples  under 
Eules  195  and  242.     (Cf.  Rule  233.) 

227.  Guard  against  the  use  of  commas  where  they 
are  not  necessary.  As  a  rule,  do  not  put  a  comma  where 
no  pause  is  made  in  reading. 

Bad  :  In  the  park,  is  a  beautiful  fountain. 

Right :  In  the  park  is  a  beautiful  fountain. 

Bad :  An  incubator,  is  the  most  useful  thing,  a  poultry 
man  can  have. 

Right :  An  incubator  is  the  most  useful  thing  a  poultry 
man  can  have. 

For  other  sentences  in  which  commas  are  properly  dis- 
pensed with,  see  the  text  of  Rules  33  «,  44,  54,  66,  62, 
65,  148. 

228.  Do  not  put  a  comma,  or  any  other  mark  of 
punctuation,  before  the  first  member  of  a  series  of  sen- 
tence-elements, unless  it  would  be  required  there,  were 
there  one  element  instead  of  a  series. 

Wrong  :  During  my  senior  year  I  studied,  Latin,  Greek, 

and  chemistry. 
Right :  During  my  senior  year  I  studied  Latin,  Greek, 

and  chemistry. 
Wrong:  It   is  valuable,  (1)  to  the  student,  (2)  to  the 

statesman,  and  (3)  to  the  merchant. 
Right:  It   is  valuable  (1)   to   the  student,  (2)  to  the 

statesman,  and  (3)  to  the  merchant. 
For  other  examples,  see  the  text  of  Rules  42,  43,  96, 

116,  133,  137. 

229.  Put  no  comma  before  a  substantive  clause  in- 
troduced by  that  or  how  when  the  governing  verb  (such 
as  said,  thought^  supposed)  immediately  or  very  closely 
precedes  the  clause. 

Wrong !  The  boatswain  said,  that  the  wheel  was  dam- 
aged. 
Right  :  The   boatswain  said  that  the  wheel  was  dam- 


THE   SEMICOLON  95 

Wrong  :  I  always  supposed,  that  the  foreman  was  to 

blame. 
Right :  I  always  supposed  that  the   foreman  was  to 

blame. 
Wrong :  They  told  us,  how  they  had  escaped. 
Right :  They  told  us  how  they  had  escaped. 

230.  Clauses  of  a  compound  sentence  that  are  not  The 
joined   by  conjunctions   naay  be  separated   by  commas  faiSt**^* 
when   the   clauses   are  short,    have  no   commas   within 
themselves,  and   are    closely  parallel   in  substance  and 

form  ;  e.g.,  — 

Permissible:  The  colonel  grunted,  the  majors  snorted, 

the  captains  swore. 
Permissible  :  He  befriended  the  stranger,  he  relieved  the 

poor,  he  helped  the  fallen  to  rise. 

AiSide  from  cases  of  this  kind,  however,  the  use  of  a 
comma  at  the  end  of  a  grammatically  complete  assertion 
that  is  not  joined  to  a  following  assertion  by  a  conjunc- 
tion is  an  inexcusable  fault  in  writing.  (See  Exercise 
LXXVI.) 

Bad  :  Neagle  was  assigned  to  act  as  the  judge's  body- 
guard, such  a  precaution  was  necessary  in  those  days. 

Right :  Neagle  was  assigned  to  act  as  the  judge's  body- 
guard.   Such  a  precaution  was  necessary  in  those  days. 

Bad  :  Our  men  had  won  so  many  games  that  they  were 
over-confident,  this  was  the  cause  of  the  recent  defeat. 

Right :  Our  men  had  won  so  many  games  that  they  were 
over-confident ;  this  was  the  cause  of  the  recent 
defeat.     [See  Rule  231  a.] 

TJie  Semicolon  (;)* 

231.  Use  the  semicolon  —  Between 
(a)  Between  clauses  of  a  compound  sentence  that  are  ^^^^^^^  ^^ 

not  joined  by  a  conjunction.  pound 

Right :  He  did  not  go  to  Canada ;  he  went  to  Mexico, 
1  See  Exercise  LXXVII. 


96 


PUNCTUATION 


Caution 


Before  so, 
therefore, 
etc. 


Conjunc- 
tive ad- 
verbs dis- 
tinguished 
from 
simple 
conjunc- 
tions 


Before 
and,  but, 
etc.,  ill  cer- 
tain cases 


For  other  examples  see  the  text  of  Rules  10,  20,  38,  42, 
84,  88,  93,  138. 
Note.  —  As  a  means  of  combining  sentences  into  com- 
pound sentences,  the  semicolon  may  easily  be  abused.  A 
series  of  sentences  should  not  be  grouped  together  in  this 
way  unless  the  compound  sentence  so  formed  has  a  distinct 
and  readily -felt  unity. 

(6)  Between  clauses  of  a  compound  sentence  that  are 
joined  by  one  of  the  conjunctive  adverbs  so,  therefore, 
hence,  however,  nevertheless,  moreover,  accordingly, 
besides,  also,  thus,  then,  still,  and  otherwise.  (See 
Exercise  LXXVI.) 

Wrong :  I  saw  no  reason  for  moving,  therefore  I  stayed 

still. 
Right :  I  saw  no  reason  for  moving ;  therefore  I  stayed 

still. 
Wrong:  He  went  below  and  lit  the  fuse,  then  he  re- 
turned to  the  deck. 
Right  :  He  went   below  and  lit  the  fuse  ;  then   he  re- 
turned to  the  deck. 
Note.  — Good  usage  makes  a  clear  distinction,  as  regards 
punctuation,    between  conjunctive  adverbs  and  simple  co- 
ordinating conjunctions  (e.g.,  aJid,  but,  or,  for).     A  comma 
is  ordinarily  used  (see  Rule  221  /)  between  clauses  of   a 
compound  sentence  that  are  connected  by  a  simple  conjunc- 
tion ;  but  a  comma  should  emphatically  not  be  used  between 
clauses  connected  by  a  conjunctive  adverb.     Compare  the 
two  following  sentences : 

Right:  The   president   bowed,   and   Hughes  began   to 

speak. 
Right  :  The  president  bowed ;  then  Hughes  began  to 
speak. 

(c)  Between  clauses  of  a  compound  sentence  that  are 
joined  by  a  simple  conjunction,  when  those  clauses  are 
somewhat  long,  or  when  a  more  decided  pause  than  a 
comma  would  furnish  is  desirable.  See,  for  example, 
the  second  sentence  of  the  foregoing  note,  and  also  the 
text  of  the  notes  under  Rules  14  and  88. 


THE   SEMICOLON 


97 


(d)  To  separate  two  or  more  coordinate  members  of  a 
simple  or  complex  sentence  when  those  members,  or 
some  of  them,  have  commas  within  themselves. 

Right :  He  said  that  he  had  lent  his  neighbor  an  ax ; 
that  on  the  next  day,  needing  the  ax,  he  had  gone  to 
get  it ;  and  that  his  neighbor  had  denied  borrowing  it. 
[The  three  objects  of  "said"  are  separated  not  by 
commas,  as  ordinarily  three  objects  of  a  verb  should 
be,  but  by  semicolons,  because  one  of  the  objects  has 
commas  within  itself.] 

For  other  examples  see  the  text  of  Rules  134,  135,  and 
137. 

(e)  To  separate  any  two  members  of  a  simple  or  com- 
plex sentence  "when,  for  any  reason,  a  comma  would  not 
make  the  relation  between  them  immediately  clear. 

Misleading :   If    I  were    a   millionaire,   I  would  have 

horses,  and  motors,  and  yachts,  and  the  whole  world 

should  minister  to  my  pleasure. 
Clear :  If  I  were  a  millionaire,  I  would  have  horses,  and 

motors,   and  yachts ;   and  the  whole  world  should 

minister  to  my  pleasure. 
See  also  the  sixth  sentence  in  the  text  of  Rule  140  and 

the  first  in  the  text  of  Rule  142. 


Between 
involved 
sentence- 
members 


232.    Do  not  use  a  semicolon  between  two  members  improper 
of  a  simple  or  complex  sentence  except   in    accordance  ^.^^  ^^ 
with  Rule  231dor231e;  use  a  comma  if  any  punctua-  a  comma 
tion  is  required  at  such  a  place. 

Wrong :  If  you  get  no  thanks  from  a  person  you  have 

favored  ;  you  have  no  respect  for  him. 
Right:  If  you  get  no  thanks  from  a  person  you  have 

favored,  you  have  no  respect  for  him. 

Wrong  :  He  was  black-eyed  ;  dark  complexioned  ;  and 

altogether  very  handsome. 
Right:    He  was  black-eyed,   dark-complexioned,   and 

altogether  very  handsome. 


98 


PUNCTUATION 


A  sign 
of  intro- 
duction 


Hie  Colon  ({) 

233.  The  colon  should  be  used  after  a  word,  phrase, 
or  sentence  constituting  an  introduction  to  something 
that  follows,  such  as  a  list  or  an  extended  quotation. 
(See  Exercise  LXXVII.) 

Right :  There  are  three  causes :  poverty,  injustice,  and 

indolence. 
Right :  Burke  said  in  1765 :   [A  long  quotation  follows.] 
Right :  The  case  was  this  :  I  wouldn't  and  he  couldn't. 
Right :  He  did  it  in  the  following  way  :  First,  he  cut  an 

ash  bough,  which  he  bent  into  a  hoop.     Then  .  .  . 


Direct,  not 

indirect 

questions 


In  paren- 
theses 


Inter- 
ruptions 


TJie  Question  Mark  (?) 

234.  Use  the  question  mark  after  a  direct  question, 
but  not  after  an  indirect  question. 

Bad :  He  asked  what  caused  the  accident  ? 
Right :  He  asked  what  caused  the  accident. 
Right :  He  asked,  "  What  caused  the  accident  ?  " 

235.  The  question  mark  within  parentheses  is  prop- 
erly used  only  in  serious  compositions,  such  as  historical 
works.  Its  use  as  a  notice  of  humor  or  irony  is  a  puer- 
mty.     (Cf.  Rules  250  e  and  292.) 

Right :  This  event  occurred  in  411  b.c.(?) 

Bad:  After  his  polite  (?)  remarks,  we  have  nothing 

more  to  say. 
Right :  After  his  polite  remarks,  we  have  nothing  niorp 

to  say. 

The  Dash  (—)' 

236.  Use  the  dash  — 

(a)  When  a  sentence  is  abruptly  broken  off  before  its 
completion. 

Right :  If  the  scythe  is  rusty — by  the  way,  did  you  get 
that  scythe  at  Pumphrey's  ? 


1  See  Exercise  LXXVII. 


THE   DASH 


(6)   After  a  comma,  to  increase  the  separation  slightly. 

Right :  Only  one  thing  was  wanting,  —  a  boat. 
For  other  examples  see  the  text  of  Rules  2  d,  123,  124, 
267,  304,  340. 

(c)  As  a  substitute  for  parenthesis  marks. 

Right:  I  dressed  —  you  may  not  believe  this,  but  it  is 
true  —  in  ten  minutes. 

(d)  Before  a  word  summarizing  the  preceding  part  of 
,a  sentence. 

Right :  If  you  go  to  bed  early,  get  up  early,  never  loiter, 
or  trifle,  always  employ  periods  of  enforced  idleness  in 
serious  thought  or  instructive  reading,  —  if  you  do 
all  this,  you  will  be  derided  by  the  Omicron  Pi  Chi 
fraternity. 

For  other  examples  see  the  text  of  Rule  167  and  the 
note  to  Rule  16. 

(e)  Before  a  repetition   or   modification   having   the 
effect  of  an  afterthought. 

Right :  Oh  yes,  he  was  polite  —  polite  as  a  Chesterfield 

—  obsequious  in  fact. 
See  also  the  text  of  Rule  23. 


Before  an 
expres- 
sion hav- 
ing the 
effect  of 
an  after- 
thought 


(/)  After  the  word  immediately  preceding  a  sentence- 
element  that  is  set  apart  on  the  page  from  the  first  part 
of  the  sentence.  For  illustration,  see  the  text  of  Rules 
4,  221,  231,  236,  240,  248,  and  250,  and  the  Bight 
examples  under  Rule  213. 

Note.  —  If  another  mark  of  punctuation  precedes  the  sen- 
tence-member set  apart,  the  dash  may  be  dispensed  with. 
See  the  text  of  Rule  14  and  the  Bight  examples  under  Rules 
211  and  212. 

237.  Do  not  use  dashes  indiscriminately,  where  com- 
mas, periods,  or  other  marks  of  punctuation  belong. 


When  a 
sentence- 
member  is 
set  apart 
on  the 
page 


100 


PUNCTUATION 


Parenthesis  Marks  (  ) 

238.  When  a  sentence  contains  matter  set  off  by  paren- 
thesis marks,  a  comma,  a  period,  or  other  mark  of  punctua- 
tion belonging  to  the  part  before  such  matter,  should  be 
placed  after  the  second  parenthesis  mark,  not  elsewhere. 

Wrong :  I  will  ask  him  by  telephone,  (assuming  lie  has 

a  telephone)  and  I  think  he  will  agree  (though  I  may 

be  mistaken.) 
Wrong :  I  will  ask  him  by  telephone  (assuming  he  has 

a  telephone, )  and  I  think  he  will  agree,   (though  I 

may  be  mistaken). 
Right :  I  will  ask  him  by  telephone  (assuming  he  has  a 

telephone),  and  I  think  he  will  agree  (though  I  may 

be  mistaken). 
For  other  examples  see  the  text  of  Rules  16  a,  16  6,  90  ^. 

239.  A  comma  should  not  be  used  with  parenthesis 
marks  unless  it  would  be  required  were  there  no  paren- 
thetic matter. 

Wrong:  The  sheriff  gave  him  (as  his  oath  required), 
the  most  effective  help.  [The  sentence  "  The  sheriff 
gave  him  the  most  effective  help"  requires  no  comma 
after  ''him."] 

Right :  The  sheriff  gave  him  (as  his  oath  required)  the 
most  effective  help. 

For  other  examples  see  the  text  of  Rules  27,  Q^^  and  69. 

240.  Do  not  use  parenthesis  marks  to  enclose  matter 
that  is  not  parenthetical.     Do  not  use  them  — 

(a)    To  emphasize  a  word ;  italicize  (see  Rule  284). 

Bad  :  "  The  man  (who)  they  thought  was  dead  surprised 

them  "  is  correct. 
Right :  "  The  man  who  they  thought  was  dead  surprised 

them  "  is  correct. 

(6)  To  enclose  a  word  about  which  something  is  said  as 
a  word.    Such  words  should  be  italicized  (see  Rule  284). 

Wrong :   (Party)  is  often  incorrectly  used  for  (person). 
Right :  Party  is  often  incorrectly  used  for  person. 


QUOTATION   MARKS  101 

(c)  To  indicate  the  title  of  a  book ;  italicize  (see  Rule  Misuse 
c)0  4\  with  liter. 
^^'*)'  ary  titles 

Wrong :  Garland's  story  (Among  the  Corn  Rows)  is 
pathetic. 

Right :  Garland's  story  Among  the  Corn  Bows  is  pa- 
thetic. 

(d)  To  enclose  a  letter,  number,  or  symbol,  unless  it  Misuse 
is  used  parenthetically.  ^^^ 

Bad  :  A  (v)  shaped  plate  of  steel. 
Right :  A  v-shaped  plate  of  steel. 
Bad  :  It  is  marked  with  the  figure  (2) 
Right :  It  is  marked  with  the  figure  2. 

(e)  To  cancel  a  word  or  passage  (see  Rule  216). 

Brackets  [  ] 

241.  Square  brackets,  [  ],  are  used  to  enclose  a  word    Words  in- 
or  words  interpolated  in  a  quotation  by  the  person  quot-   fn^a  quo- 
ing.     Words  enclosed  in  parenthesis  marks,  (  ),  occur-  tation 
ring   in  a  quotation,  are  understood  to  belong  to  the 
quotation  ;  words  enclosed  in  brackets,  [  ],  are  under- 
stood to  be  interpolated  by  the  writer  quoting. 

Right :  ''  I  would  gladly,"  writes  Landor,'*  see  our  lan- 
guage enriched  ...  At  present  [in  the  eighteenth 
century]  we  recur  to  the  Latin  and  reject  the  Saxon 

Quotation  Marks  ("  ") 

242.  Use  quotation  marks  to  enclose  a  direct  quota-  For  direct, 
tion,  but  not  to  enclose  an  indirect  quotation. 

Wrong:  He  said  **  that  he  was  grieved." 
Right :  He  said  that  he  was  grieved. 
Right :  He  said,  ''  I  am  grieved." 

243.  Do  not  fail  to  put  quotation  marks  at  the  be-  Omission 
ginning  and  the  end  of  every  quotation.     (See  Exercise 
LXXIX.) 


102 


PUNCTUATION 


244.  Do  not  punctuate  sentences  of  a  single  speech  as 
if  they  were  separate  speeches.     (See  Exercise  LXXIX.) 

Bad  :  She  said,  ''  Is  this  the  truth  ?  ''  "  Then  I  must 
tell  my  husband."     "  He  ought  to  know." 

Eight :  She  said,  "  Is  this  the  truth  ?  Then  I  must  tell 
my  husband.     He  ought  to  know." 

245.  When  a  quotation  mark  and  a  question  or  ex- 
clamation mark  both  follow  the  same  word,  — 

(a)  The  question  or  exclamation  mark  should  stand 
first  if  it  applies  to  the  quotation  and  not  to  the  sentence 
containing  the  quotation. 

Wrong  :  He  said,  "  Are  you  hurt "  ? 
Right :  He  said,  '*  Are  you  hurt  ?  " 

(&)  The  quotation  mark  should  stand  first  if  the  other 
mark  applies,  not  to  the  quotation,  but  to  the  sentence 
containing  the  quotation. 

Wrong  :  Did  the  letter  say,  "  Come  to-night  at  ten  ?  " 
Right :  Did  the  letter  say,  "  Come  to-night  at  ten  "  ? 

(c)  In  either  case  no  comma  or  period  should  be  used 
in  addition  to  the  quotation  mark  and  the  question  or 
exclamation  mark. 

Wrong :  He  cried  "  Fire  !  ",  and  began  to  run. 
Right :  He  cried  "  Fire  1 "  and  began  to  run. 
Wrong :  Did  he  say  "  I  object."  ? 
Right;  Did  he  say,  "  I  object"  ? 

(See  Exercise  LXXIX.) 

246.  A  quotation  within  a  quotation  is  marked  by 
single  quotation  marks ;  one  within  that  by  double  marks. 

Wrong  ;  I  repeated  those  lines  of  Tennyson, 

"  Thou  Shalt  hear  the  "  Never,  never,"  whispered  by  the 
phantom  years, 
And  a  song  from  out  the  distance  in  the  ringing  of 
thine  ears," 

until  I  knew  them  by  heart. 


QUOTATION   MARKS 


103 


Right :  I  repeated  those  lines  of  Tennyson, 

"Thou  shalt  hear  the  *  Never,  never,'  whispered  by  the 
phantom  years, 
And  a  song  from  out  the  distance  in  the  ringing  of 
thine  ears," 

until  I  knew  them  by  heart. 

Wrong:  '*Then,"  continued  Brightman,  "the  captain 

shouted,  "Cast  off !" 
Right:  "Then,"  continued  Brightman,  "the  captain 

shouted,  'Cast  off  I'" 

247.  When  a  quotation  consists  of  several  paragraphs  Quota- 
(see  Rule  212),  quotation  marks  should  be  placed  at  the  f^^^^( 
beginning   of  each   paragraph,   and  at  the  end  of  the  para- 
quotation  ;  not  elsewhere,  except  in  accordance  with  Rule  ^^^^  ^ 
261  a.    For  illustration,  see  the  example  under  Rule  212. 

248.  Quotation  marks  may  sometimes  be  used  to  mark  With  un- 
a  technical  term  presumably  unfamiliar  to  the  reader.  teSnical 
(See,  for  example,  the  text  of  Rule  256  and  the  Bight  terms 
example  under  Element  in  the  Glossary.)     But  — 

Note.  —  No  such  marking  is  needed  for  technical  or  quasi-   Familiar 
technical  terms  that  are  perfectly  familiar  to  the  reader,    technical 
None  is  ordinarily  needed,  for  instance,  for  wire-puller^  boss, 
off-year,  touch-down,  kick-off,  haze,  corner  the  market. 

249.  Quotation  marks  may  sometimes  be  used  to  Indi- 
cate apology  for  slang  or  nicknames.     But  note  : 

(a)  No  such  apology  is  needed  for  hard  hit,  hrdce  up, 
rough  it,  to  duck,  to  oust,  to  loaf,  to  cut  a  figure,  the 
whys  and  ivherefores,  the  forties,  willy  nilly,  day  dreams, 
proxy,  bugbear,  humbug,  hoax,  tomfoolery,  bamboozle, 
whoop,  ninny,  milksop,  skinflint,  parson,  and  other  good 
English  expressions  vulgarly  supposed  to  be  slang. 

(6)  In  a  humorous  or  colloquial  context  such  apology 
for  slang  or  for  nicknames  is  artistically  inconsistent 
with  the  style,  and  obstructs  the  legitimate  purpose  of 
the  style. 


terms 


104 


PUNCTUATION 


Inartistic:  When  radicalism  "threw  up  its  hat"  for 
"Rob"  Rowland,  "rough-house,"  and  reform,  con- 
servatism "  took  to  the  tall  timbers."  "  Rob,"  though 
"cock  of  the  walk"  in  the  capital,  has  been  "  sassed  " 
by  his  home  paper,  which  attributes  his  influence  to 
hypnotism  and  "  hot  air." 

Improved  in  effectiveness  :  When  radicalism  threw  up 
its  hat  for  Rob  Rowland,  rough-house,  and  reform, 
conservatism  took  to  the  tall  timbers.  Rob,  though 
cock  of  the  walk  in  the  capital,  has  been  sassed  by 
his  home  paper,  which  attributes  his  influence  to 
hypnotism  and  hot  air. 

(c)  The  nicknames  of  persons  in  real  life  or  in  fiction 
who  are  known  by  nicknam(js  altogether,  or  as  commonly 
as  by  their  proper  names,  should  not  be  enclosed  in  quo- 
tation marks. 

Wrong:  "Tom"  Johnson,  "Bathhouse  John," 
"Teddy"  Roosevelt,  "Jim"  Corbett,  "Prexy" 
Harper,  and  the  Honorable  "  Hinkey  Dink"  were 
present. 

Right :  Tom  Johnson,  Bathhouse  John,  Teddy  Roose- 
velt, Jim  Corbett,  Prexy  Harper,  and  the  Honorable 
Hinkey  Dink  were  present. 

Wrong:  Two  women,  the  "Duchess"  and  "  Mother" 
Shipton,  and  two  men,  Mr.  Oakhurst  and  "  Uncle 
Billy,"  were  ordered  to  leave  town. 

Right :  Two  women,  the  Duchess  and  Mother  Shipton, 
and  two  men,  Mr.  Oakhurst  and  Uncle  Billy,  were 
ordered  to  leave  town. 

Wrong:  As  I  was  "  bucking"  for  "  Perky's"  "  quiz," 
I  was  interrupted  by  "  Fatty"  Holmesand  "  Smudge" 
Williams,  who  refused  to  "clear  out."  [See  Rule  6, 
above.  ] 

Right :  As  I  was  bucking  for  Perky 's  quiz,  I  was  inter- 
rupted by  Fatty  Holmes  and  Smudge  Williams,  who 
refused  to  clear  out. 

250.    Do  not  use  quotation  marks  — 
(a)  To  enclose  the  title  at  the  head  of  a  composition, 
unless  the  title  is  a  quotation. 


QUOTATION   MARKS  105 

(b)  To   enclose   proper   names,   including    names    of  With 
>  ^.  ^     ^  proper 

animals.  names 

Wrong  :  I  expect  to  go  to  ''  Ober-Ammergau. " 
Right :  I  expect  to  go  to  Ober-Ammergau. 
Wrong  :  *'  Thomas  "  and  "  Rover"  were  good  friends. 
Right :  Thomas  and  Rover  were  good  friends. 

(c)  To  enclose  proverbial  expressions  that  do  not  con-  with 
stitute  grammatically  and  logically  complete  statements.     Proverbs 

Wrong:  It  was  '*  nipped  in  the  bud." 

Right :  It  was  nipped  in  the  bud. 

Wrong:  He  seemed  to  be  "  as  mad  as  a  March  hare." 

Right :  He  seemed  to  be  .as  mad  as  a  March  hare. 

(c?)  To  enclose  words  coined  extem^pore. 

Wrong:  The  manning  and  "womaning"  of  the  enter-   With 

prise  will  be  difficult.  words 

Right :  The  manning  and  womaning  of  the  enterprise   ^^l^^Q^e 

will  be  difficult. 
Wrong  :  It  is  not  bronchitis  or  peritonitis  or  any  of  the 

''itises." 
Right :  It  is  not  bronchitis  or  peritonitis  or  any  of  the 

itises. 

(e)  To   serve  the   undignified  and  inartistic   purpose  For 

of  labeling  your  own  humor  or  irony.     (Cf.  Eules  235   jfu^^"^ 
and  292.) 

Bad  :  Such  is  the  ardor  of  this  *'  pious  "  Hotspur. 

Right :  Such  is  the  ardor  of  this  pious  Hotspur. 

Bad :  Senator  Piatt's  speech  on  the  bill  was  a  sort  of 

*' funeral  oration." 
Right :  Senator  Piatt's  speech  on  the  bill  was  a  sort  of 

funeral  oration. 

(f)  For  no  reason  at  all.  Use  with- 

Bad :  If  the  Creator  in  his  **  power  and  munificence  "    j^^gon^ 
is  good  to  me,  I  shall  gain  "distinguished  success." 

Right :  If  the  Creator  in  his  power  and  munificence  is 
good  to  me,  I  shall  gain  distinguished  success. 


106 


PUNCTUATION 


Possessive 
case 


Nouns 
ending 
in  s 


Misuse 
witli  its, 
etc. 

With  con- 
tractions 


In  forming 
plurals 


The  Apostrophe  (') 

251.  In  the  possessive  singular  of  regularly  inflected 
nouns  an  apostrophe  should  (with  the  exception  stated  in 
Eule  252)  precede  the  s ;  in  the  possessive  plural  of  such 
nouns  an  apostrophe  should  follow  the  s. 


Right : 
Right : 


The  boy's  cap. 
The  boys'  caps. 


252.  Do  not  form  the  possessive  singular  of  a  noun 
ending  in  s  by  putting  an  apostrophe  before  the  s ;  put 
an  apostrophe  after  the  s,  or  add  's. 

Wrong:  Dicken's  novels.  •   Burn's  poems. 
Right :   Dickens'  novels,  or  Dickens's  novels 

Burns'  poems,  or  Burns's  poems. 
Right  :  Charles's  horse.    Mr.  Jones's  house. 

253.  Never  use  an  apostrophe  with  the  possessive 
adjectives  hers,  its,  ours,  yours,  theirs, 

254.  In  a  contracted  word  an  apostrophe  should 
stand  in  the  place  of  the  omitted  letter  or  letters,  not 
elsewhere. 

Wrong:  Hav'nt,  do'nt,  does'nt,  ca'nt,  is'nt. 
Right:  Haven't,  don't,  doesn't,  can't,  isn't. 

255.  The  plural  of  letters  of  the  alphabet  and  of 
numerical  symbols  is  formed  by  adding  's  to  the  letter 
or  symbol.  The  plural  of  a  w^ord  considered  as  a  ivord 
may  also  be  formed  in  the  same  way.  But  the  regular 
plural  of  a  noun  should  never  be  formed  by  adding  's. 

Right :  His  Ws  were  like  F's  and  his  2's  like  Z's. 
Right  :  In  your  letter  there  are  too  many  /'«  and  also 

too  many  ancfs. 
Wrong :  The  Powers's,  the  Jones's,  the  Waters's  and 

the  Rogers's  sold  piano's  and  folio's. 
Right  :  The  Powerses,  the  Joneses,  the  Waterses,  and 

the  Rogerses  sold  pianos  and  folios. 


MISCELLANEOUS   RULES  107 

The  Hyphen  (-) 

256.  No   simple  rule  can  be  given  for  determining  Compound 
whether  a  compound  word  should  be  hyphened  or  written  words 
"solid."     One  must  simply  learn,  from  observation  and 

from  dictionaries,  what  is  the  correct  practice  in  individual 
cases.  Note  that  the  following  words  should  not  be 
hyphened :  together,  without,  nevertheless,  moreover, 
inasmuch,  instead,  childhood,  farewell,  wardrobe,  chip- 
munk, nickname,  surname,  midnight,  railroad,  mis- 
print, pronoun,  semicolon,  withstand,  outstretch, 
rewrite,  and  the  other   words  enumerated  in  Rule  164. 

257.  Always  hyphen    to-day,    to-night,   to-morrow,    To-day, 
good-bye,  to-morrow 

258.  In  dividing  a  word  at  the  end  of  a  line  (see  Rules   At  the 
263-266,  below),  place  a  hyphen  after  the  first  element  of  ^f  f  if^^^^ 
the  word,  and  there  only ;  never  put  a  hyphen  at  the  begin- 
ning of  a  line. 

Miscellaneous  Rules 

259.  When  such  as  is  used  to  introduce  an  example  Punctua- 
or  several  examples,  it  should  be  preceded  by  a  comma  ti^n  with 
(see  Rule  221 /i),  a  comma  and  dash  (see  Rule  2366), 

or  a  semicolon  (see  Rule  231  e),  and  should  be  followed 
by  no  mark  of  punctuation,  unless  a  parenthetical  ex- 
pression is  inserted  between  the  such  as  and  the  words 
that  it  introduces. 

Right :  I  read  many  historical  novels,  such  as  Bomola, 

Bienzi^  and  Quo  Vadis. 
See  also  the  text  of  Rules  18,  144  b,  145,  146,  233. 

260.  In  introducing  an  example  or  an  explanation  Punctua- 
with  one  of  the  expressions  namely,  viz.,  e.g.,  that  is,  ^^amelv^ 
and  i.e,,  apply  the  following  rules  :  viz.,  etc 

(a)    The  expression  should  always  be  followed  by  a 
comma. 


108 


PUNCTUATION 


Wrong  :  I  selected  it  for  two  reasons  namely  :  because 
it  was  well  made,  and  because  it  was  inexpensive. 

Right :  I  selected  it  for  two  reasons :  namely,  because 
it  was  well  made,  and  because  it  was  inexpensive. 

See  also  the  text  of  Rules  16  a,  106,  and  136,  and  the 
note  to  Rule  3. 

(6)  When  the  expression  introduces  a  sentence  or  a 
principal  clause,  the  expression  should  be  preceded  by  a 
period  era  semicolon  (see  Rules  230,  231  a). 

Right :  There  is  a  vital  difference  between  them  ;  i.e,, 
the  Greek  is  an  artist,  and  the  Roman  is  a  statesman. 
See  also  the  text  of  Rules  111,  90  ^. 

(c)  When  the  expression  introduces  a  merely  apposi- 
tive  member,  or  several  such,  the  expression  should  be 
preceded  by  a  semicolon  (see  Rule  231  e),  by  a  comma 
and  a  dash  (see  Rule  236  6),  or  by  a  colon  (see  Rule 
233). 

Right :  They  arrested  the  man  who  was  really  respon- 
sible, —  namely,  the  cashier. 

Right :  There  are  three  parties  :  namely,  Tories,  Whigs, 
and  Radicals. 

See  also  the  text  of  Rules  2  d,  106,  123,  124,  269. 

Note.  —  When  the  expression  and  the  words  it  introduces 
are  enclosed  in  parentheses,  the  foregoing  Rules  b  and  c 
do  not  apply.     See  the  text  of  Rules  99,  121,  136. 

261.  When  an  expression  like  said  he  is  interpolated 
within  a  quotation  or  placed  after  it,  the  following  rules 
apply : 

(a)  The  expression  should  not  be  included  within  the 
quotation  marks  at  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  the 
quotation. 

Wrong  :  "  If  that  is  true,  he  said,  I  am  lost." 
Right :  ''If  that  is  true,"  he  said,  "I  am  lost." 

(b)  The  quoted  words  preceding  the  expression  should 
be  followed  by  a  question  or  exclamation  mark  if  they 


MISCELLANEOUS   RULES  109 

form  a  complete  interrogatory  or  exclamatory  sentence ; 
otherwise  by  a  comma ;  never  by  a  period  or  semicolon. 

Wrong :  *'  Will  you  help,"  he  asked  ? 
Right :  "•  Will  you  help  ?  "  he  asked. 
Wrong:  "I  will  help."  he  answered. 
Right ;  **  I  will  help,"  he  answered. 

Wrong  :  *'I  will  help  you  ;"  he  said,  "  you  deserve  it.'* 
Right :  ''  I  will  help  you,  "  he  said  ;  "  you  deserve  it." 

(c)  If  the  quoted  words  preceding  the  expression  form  Marks 
a  complete  sentence,  a  period  should  follow  the  expres-  /^g ; 
sion,  even  if  a  question  or  exclamation  mark  follows  the  period 
words  preceding. 

Wrong:  *' Won't  you  come?"  she  said,  "we  need  you." 
Right:  *' Won't  you  come?  "  she  said.    "We  need  you." 

(d)  If  the  quoted  words  preceding  tbe  expression  Semi- 
would  be  followed,  but  for  the  expression,  by  a  semi-  ^^  ^^ 
colon,  a  semicolon  should  follow  the  expression. 

Right :  "  He  didn't  go  to  Canada,"  the  teller  informed 
me  ;  "  he  went  to  Mexico." 

(e)  In  every  case  in  which  a  period  or  a  semicolon  is   Comma 
not  required  (according  to  Rules  c  and  cZ,  above)  after  the 
expression,  a  comma  should  follow  the  expression. 

Right :  "lam,"  growled  the  assassin,  "your  doomsman." 

(/)    The  expression  should  not  be  capitalized.  Said  he 

not  cap- 
Right  :  "Go  to  the  treasuiy,"  said   the   king,    "and   italized 
help  yourself." 

(g)    The  part  of  the  quotation  following  the  expression   Capitaliz- 
fihould  not  be  capitalized  unless  it  is  a  new  sentence.  foflowing^ 

Wrong:  "Hammer    on    the    window,"   advised    the    ^^^^^^ 
policeman,  "  Until  he  gets  up." 

Right :  "Hammer  on  the  window,"  advised  the  police- 
man, "until  he  gets  up." 

See  also  the  Bight  examples  under  Rules  c7,  e,  and/. 

CSee  Exercise  LXXIX.) 


110 


SYLLABICATION 


Marks  of 
punctua- 
tion at  the 
beginning 
of  lines 


Rules  for 
syllabi- 
cation : 


Follow 
pronun- 
ciation 


Prefixes 


262.  Never  put  a  period,  a  comma,  a  semicolon,  a 
colon,  an  exclamation  point,  or  a  question  mark  at  the 
beginning  of  a  line ;  put  it  instead  at  the  end  of  the 
preceding  line. 

Syllabication 

263.  In  dividing  a  word  at  the  end  of  a  line,  make 
the  separation  between  syllables,  not  elsewhere. 

There  is  no  uniform  principle  for  determining  just 
what  are  the  several  syllables  of  any  given  word ;  one 
must  rely  largely  on  learning,  by  observation  and  by 
reference  to  dictionaries,  what  is  the  correct  syllabication 
in  individual  cases.  Nevertheless,  a  good  many  errors 
may  be  avoided  by  observing  the  following  simple  rules : 

(a)  Do  not  set  apart  from  each  other  combinations  of 
letters  the  separate  pronunciation  of  which  is  impossible 
or  unnatural. 

A.  Wrong :  Exc-ursion ;  go-ndola  ;  illustr-ate  ;  instr-uction  ; 

pun-ctuation. 
Right :  Ex-cursion  ;  gon-dola  ;  illus-trate  ;  in-struc-tion  ; 
punc-tuation. 

B.  Wrong  :  Prostr-ate  ;    pri-nciple  ;    abs-urd  ;    fini-shing ; 

sugge-stion. 
Right :  Pros-trate;  prin-ciple;  ab-surd;  finish-ing;  sugges- 
tion. 

C.  Wrong  :  Nat-ion  ;   conclus-ion  ;  invent-ion  ;  introd-uct- 

ion  ;  abbr-eviat-ion. 
Right :  Na-tion;  conclu-sion  ;  inven-tion  ;  intro-duc-tion  ; 
abbre-via-tion. 

D.  Wrong  :  Diffic-ult ;     tob-acco  ;     exc-ept;     univ-ersity  ; 

dislo-dgment. 
Right :  Diffi-cult ;  to-bacco  ;  ex-cept ;   uni-versity;   dis- 
lodg-ment. 

(5)  As  a  rule,  divide  between  a  prefix  and  the  letter 
following  it. 

Wrong:  Bet-ween;  pref-ix ;  antec-edent;  conf-ine;  del- 
ight. 
Right :  Be-tween;  pre-fixj  ante-cedent;  con-fine;  de-light, 


SYLLABICATION  111 

(c)  As  a  rule,  divide  between  a  suffix  and  the  letter  Suflixes 
preceding  it.     Divide,  e.g.,  before  -ing,  -ly,  -ment,  -ed, 
(when  it   is  pronounced  as  a  separate   syllable,    as   in 
deUght-ed)y  -ish,  -able,  -er,  -est. 

Right :  Lov-ing ;  love-ly  ;  judg-ment ;  invit-ed  ;  Jew-ish ; 
punish-able  ;  strong-er  ;  strong-est. 

(d)  As  a  rule,  when  a  consonant  is  doubled,  divide  Doubled 
between  the  two  letters.     This  rule  often  takes  preced- 
ence of  Kule  c  above. 


conso- 
nants 


Eight :  rub-ber ;  ab-breviation  ;  oc-casion ;  ad-dition  , 
af-finity  ;  Rus-sian  ;  expres-sion  ;  omis-sion  ;  com- 
mit-tee  ;  ex-cel-lent ;  stop-ping  ;  drop-ping ;  ship- 
ping; equip-ping. 

(e)  Never  divide  in  the  midst  of  ih  pronounced  as  in  The  di- 

tlie  or  thin;  sh  as  in  push;  ph  as  in  phonograph;  ng  as  f^^etc  ^^ 

in  sing;   gn  as  in  sign;    tch  as  in  fetch;    and  gh  pro-  not  to  be 

nounced  as  in  rough,  or  silent.     Never  divide  cJc  except  *^^^^^®*^ 
in  accordance  with  Eule/,  below. 

Wrong  :  cat-holic  ;  ras-hness ;  disc-harge  ;  diap-hragm  ; 

gin-gham. 
Right :  cath-olic  ;  rash-ness  ;   dis-charge  ;   dia-phragm  ; 

ging-ham. 

Wrong  :  consig-nment ;  wat-ching  ;  doug-hty. 
Right:  consign-ment ;  watch-ing;  dough-ty. 

The  divisions  post-humous  (see  page  225),  dis-habille 
(see  page  225),  Lap-ham,  nightin-gale,  distin-guish, 
sin-gle,  sig-nature,  and  Leg-horn,  form  no  exceptions  to 
the  foregoing  rule,  for  in  them  th,  sh,  etc.,  are  pronounced 
each  as  two  distinct  sounds. 

(/)  In   dividing  words  like  edible,  possible,  bridle,   ^^'^^^  ^^ 
tinfle,  beagle,  crackle,  twinkle,  staple,  entitle,  do  not  set  apart 


112 


ABBREVIATIONS 


set  le  apart  by  itself;  always  place  with  it  the  preceding 
consonant.     (But  see  Rule  266.) 

Right :  edi-ble  ;    possi-ble  ;    bri-dle  ;    tri-fle  ;    bea-gle  ; 
crac-kle ;  etc. 

Note.  —  To  Rules  6,  c,  and  d^  above,  there  are  exceptions. 
For  a  statement  of  these,  and  for  a  comprehensive  treatment 
of  syllabication,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Introduction  of 
Webster's  International  Dictionary. 

Mono-  264.    Never  divide  a  monosyllable, 

syllables 

Bad:  Tho-ugh,  stre-ngth. 


A  syllable 
of  one 
letter 


265.    Do  not  divide  a  syllable  of  one  letter  from  the 
rest  of  the  word. 

Wrong:  Man-y,  a-gainst,  a-long,  ston-y. 


266.    Dividing  words  at  the  end  of  lines  should  be 
avoided  as  much  as  possible.     And  such  awkward  divi- 


Awkward 

and  too 

frequent  ,      ^  n       . 

division       sions  as  the  folio wmg  should  never  be  made  : 


Bad  :  eve-ry,  ev-en,  on-ly,  eight-een. 


Generally 
objection- 
able 


Abbreviations 

267.  Abbreviations  are  in  bad  taste  in  literary  com- 
positions of  any  kind,  including  letters.  A  few  abbrevia- 
tions,—  such  as  i.e.,  e.g.,  q.v.,  viz.,  etc.,  A.D.,  B.C., 
a.m.,  p.m.,  —  are  excepted  from  the  rule,  being  com- 
monly used  in  good  literature.  Use  no  abbreviations 
except  those  which  you  know  are  employed,  not  by  the 
newspapers  or  the  writers  of  commonplace  business  letters, 
but  by  recognized  masters  of  English  prose. 

Bad :  Last  summer  I  worked  for  the  Chandler  Mfg.  Co. 
in  Casey,  111.     Casey  is  on  the  C.  and  E.  I.  R.R. 

Right :  Last  summer  I  worked  for  the  Chandler  Manu- 
facturing Company  in  Casey,  Illinois.  Casey  is  on 
the  Chicago  and  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad. 


THE   REPRESENTATION   OF   NUMBERS      113 

268.  Observe  that  many  abbreviations  that  are  proper   Abbreyia- 
when  combined  with  other  expressions  are  improper  when 
standing  alone.     Thus : 

Right :  I  came  at  ten  p.m. 

Vulgar  :  I  came  this  p.m. 

Right :  He  lives  in  room  No.  12. 

Bad  :  Let  me  know  the  No.  of  your  room. 

Right :  My  dear  Dr.  Hart. 

Vulgar  :  My  dear  Dr. 

Obsei-ve  also  that  many  abbreviations  (such  as  vol.,  ch,y 
j9.,  Co.,  ed.)  that  are  permissible  in  footnotes,  paren- 
thetic citations,  and  similar  places,  are  not  permissible 
in  formally  constructed  sentences. 

269.  Abbreviation  of  titles  is,  in   general,  inelegant   Abbrevia- 
and    objectionable.      Spell   out  Professor,    President,   ^?^,^  ^^ 
Captain,  General,  Colonel,  Bevere^id,  etc.     Some  ab- 
breviations are,  however,  always  proper;  viz.,  (1)  Mr.j 

Mrs.,  Messrs.,  and  Dr.,  when  prefixed  to  names; 
(2)  Esq.,  and  the  initial  abbreviations  D.D.,  Ph,D.y 
etc.,  when  suffixed  to  names.     (See  Rule  268.) 

The  Representation  of  Numbers 

270.  Do  not  spell  out  (1)  cardinal  numbers  designat-  Dates, 
ing  dates,  (2)  cardinal  numbers  designating  the  pages  or  folios,  etc^ 
divisions  (i.e.,  parts,  chapters,  paragraphs,  sections,  rules,  numbers 
etc.)  of  a  book  or  a  document,  or  (3)  the  street  numbers 

of  houses. 

Wrong:  On  October  thirteen,  eighteen  hundred  and 
eighty-one,  I  was  born  at  three  hundred  and  sixty -two 
Adams  Street.  See  page  nine  hundred  and  sixteen  of 
our  family  Bible. 

Right:  On  October  13,  1881,  I  was  born  at  362  Adams 
Street.    See  page  916  of  our  family  Bible. 

Note. — Ordinal  numbers  designating  days  of  a  month 
may  be  either  spelled  out  or  represented  by  figures. 


114     THE   REPRESENTATION   OF   NUMBERS 

Right :  The  thirteenth  of  May  fell  on  Friday. 
Right:  The  13th  of  May  fell  on  Friday. 

Ordinal  numbers  designating  pages  or  divisions  of  a  book  oi 
document  are  governed  by  Rule  272. 

271.  In  designating  a  sum  of  money  in  connected  dis' 
course,  apply  the  following  rules  : ' 

(a)  Do  not  use  the  sign  $  for  sums  less  than  one 
dollar. 

Wrong:  It  costs |0. 20. 
Right :  It  costs  twenty  cents. 

(b)  Do  not  write  .00. 

Wrong  :  He  subscribed  $342.00  to  the  fund. 
Right :  He  subscribed  $342  to  the  fund. 

(c)  For  a  sum  amounting  to  a  number  of  dollars  and 
a  number  of  cents,  always  use  the  sign  $  and  figures. 

Right:  It  costs  $3.18. 

(d)  If  several  sums  are  mentioned  within  a  short 
space,  use  figures  for  all,  putting  the  sign  $  before  all 
numbers  representing  dollars. 

Right:  My  room  costs  $3  a  week  and  my  board  $4.60  ; 
my  contribution  to  the  church  is  30  cents  ;  my  inciden- 
tal expenses  range  from  $9.36  to  $12.60  a  month. 

(e)  In  case  of  an  isolated  mention  of  a  sum  in  cents, 
spell  out  the  number. 

Right :  The  price  is  ninety  cents. 

(/)  In  case  of  an  isolated  mention  of  a  sum  in  dollars 
without  a  fraction,  spell  out  a  number  expressed  in  one 
or  two  words,  such  as  ^/iree,  sixteen^  two  hundred,  six 
thousand,  one  million;  for  other  numbers,  such  as  102, 
350,  1130,  1,500,000,  use  the  sign  $  and  figures. 

Right :  He  contributed  twenty  thousand  dollars. 
Right :  It  sold  for  eighteen  hundred  dollars. 
Right :  His  fortune  amounts  to  $72,600. 


THE   REPRESENTATION   OF   NUMBERS      115 

272.  In  representing,  in  connected  discourse,  numbers   Numbers 
other  than  those  treated  in  Kules  270  and  271,  apply   treated 
the  following  rules  :  in  Rules 

•  •  270   271 

(a)  In  case  several  numbers  are  mentioned  in  a  short        ' 
space,  use  figures  for  all.     See  for  example  the  text  of  numbers* 
Bules    203-208,  where   numbers   occur   frequently  and  —figures 
representation    of  them  by  words  would   inconvenience 

the  reader. 

(b)  If  the  numbers  to  be  represented  are  not  frequent,   Numbers 
spell  out  numbers  that  may  be  expressed  in  one  or  two  quent^' 
words,   such  as  eighteen ,  ninety-seven,   two   hundred, 
eighteen  hundred,  twenty  thousand,  one  million,  Jifty 
million;  use  figures  for  those  that  require  three  or  more 

words,  such  as  108,  233,  1,250,  18,231,  1,500,230. 

Wrong:  The  college  is  25  miles  from  Columbus  and 

has  900  students. 
Right :  The  college  is  twenty-five  miles  from  Columbus 

and  has  nine  hundred  students. 

Wrong :  In  this  city  there  are  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  saloons  to  three  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand, 
one  hundred  and  ninety-two  people. 

Right:  In  this  city  there  are  434  saloons  to  385,192 
people. 

Wrong  :  He  lives  on  72d  street. 

Right :  He  lives  on  Seventy-second  Street.  [See  Rules 
277  and  308.] 

273.  From  Rule  272  b  it  follows  that  a  number  rep-  Ages,  and 
resenting  a  person's  age  or  one  designating  an  hour  of  ^^"^^  ^^ 
the   day  should   nearly  always    (see   Rule   272  a)  be 

spelled  out. 

Right :  At  twelve  o'clock  all  the  children  below  eight 
years  of  age  are  sent  home. 

274.  A  sum  of  money  or  a  number  that  is  spelled  out   thetic" 
should  not  be  repeated  in  parenthesized  figures,  except  in  repetition 
legal  or  commercial  letters  and  instruments.     When  such  numbers 


116 


CAPITALS 


repetition  is  made,  (a)  a  parenthesized  sum  should  stand 
at  the  end  of  the  expression  that  it  repeats,  not  elsewhere ; 
and  (b)  a  parenthesized  number  should  stand  immediately 
after  the  number  that  it  repeats,  not  elsewhere. 

Wrong  :  I  enclose  ($  10)  ten  dollars,  [a] 
Wrong :  I  enclose  ten  ($  10)  dollars.  [6] 

Right :  I  enclose  ten  dollars  (^  10) .  [a] 
Right :  I  enclose  ten  (10)  dollars.  [&] 

Capitals 

275.  Capitalize  proper  nouns  in  general,  including  the 
names  of  the  days  of  the  week  and  the  names  of  the 
months.     But  note : 

(a)  The  words  spring^  summer,  midsummer,  autumn, 
fall,  ivinter,  and  midwinter  should  not  be  capitalized. 

(h)  North,  south,  east,  west,  and  their  compounds 
(north-west,  etc.)  and  derivatives  (northern,  etc.)  should 
not  be  capitalized  except  when  they  designate  divisions 
of  the  country. 

Right :  As  we  sailed  north  we  saw  a  ship  going  west. 

Right :  The  West  is  prosperous.  —  The  people  of  the 
South  are  migrating  westward.  —  The  Northern  dele- 
gates   clashed    with   the    Southern. 

(See  Exercise  LXXVIII.) 

276.  Titles  of  persons  should  be  capitalized  when 
they  are  used  in  connection  with  proper  names.  When 
used  otherwise  than  in  connection  with  proper  names, 
titles  of  governmental  officers  of  high  rank  should  be 
capitalized ;  other  titles  should  not.  (See  Exercise 
LXXIX.) 

Right :  There  go  Professor  Cox  and  Colonel  Henry.  — 
A  certain  professor  became  a  colonel  in  the  volunteer 
army.  —  The  President  and  the  Postmaster-General 
sent  for  the  postmaster  of  our  town  and  the  secretary 
of  our  society. 


CAPITALS 


117 


277.  Capitalize  cluh^  company,  society,  college,  high  Common- 
school,  railroad,  county,  river,  lake,  park,  street,  or  any  efe^ents 
other  common  noun,  when  it  is  made  a  component  part  of  of  proper 
a  proper  name ;  not  otherwise.    (See  Exercise  LXXIX.) 

Wrong :  I  went  to  that  College  one  year. 
Eight :  I  went  to  that  college  one  year. 
Wrong :  Do  you  mean  Hamilton  college  ? 
Eight ;  Do  you  mean  Hamilton  College  ? 

278.  Capitalize  nouns  and  adjectives  of  language  or  Words  of 
race,  such  as  German,  Latin,  Indian,  etc.  (See  Exer-  [angu^e 
else  LXXVIII.) 

279.  Capitalize  the  important  words  of  literary  titles.   Words  in 

literary 
Eight :  I  read  The  Light  that  Failed  and  A  Tale  of    titles 
Two  Cities. 

280.  Capitalize  the  first  word  of  a  sentence.     This  At  the 
rule  applies  in  general  to  quoted  sentences ;  but  not  to  a  of  a 
quoted   sentence  from  which  words  are  omitted  at  the  sentence 
beginning,  nor  to  a  quoted  sentence-element  incorporated  tation 
in  an  original  sentence.     (See  Exercise  LXXIX.) 

Wrong:  The  conductor  cried,  "hands  off!" 
Eight :  The  conductor  cried,  "  Hands  off  I " 
Wrong  :   It  seemed  to  be  "  Without  form  and  void." 
Eight :  It  seemed  to   be  "  without  form  and  void." 

See  also  Eule  38,  note,  and  the  last  sentence  in  the  note 
to  Eule  88. 

281.  Capitalize  the  first  word  of  every  line  of  poetry. 
See  the  Bight  examples  under  Rules  209-211. 

282.  Do  not  capitalize  a  clause  following  a  semicolon. 

Wrong  :  Send  him  to  the  library  ;  His  father  wants  to 

speak  to  him. 
Eight:  Send  him  to  the  library;   his  father  wants  to 

speak  to  him. 


118  ITALICS 

Use  with-         283.    Do  not  capitalize  words  which  there  is  no  reason 
out  reason  ^^^    capitalizing,    such    as    locomotive,   forest,    organ, 
rhetoric,     mathematics,     history,     ivhoojmig     cough, 
landlady,  bulldog,  electricity,  citizen,  flour  mill,  pro- 
fession, gold  mine,  teachers^  convention. 

Italics 

Represen-  284.  To  italicize  a  word  in  a  manuscript,  draw  one 
taMon  in      straight  line  below  it. 

Italics  285.    Italicize  titles  of  literary,  musical,  and  artistic 

Zi\oo\s^  works,  and  of  periodicals.  Do  not  italicize  the 
etc.  author's  name. 

Right :  Walter  Scott's  The  Talisman,  Rider  Haggard's 
King  Solomon^s  Mines,  Talfourd's  Ion,  and  the 
Atlantic  Monthly  furnished  his  principal  amusement. 

Note. — It  is  permissible  to  enclose  titles  in  quotation 
marks  instead  of  italicizing  them  ;  but  the  simpler  and 
better  approved  practice  is  to  italicize. 

Titles  286.  If  the  title  of  a  single  literary,  musical,  or 
wlth^^ie^  artistic  work  begins  with  the,  this  word  should  not  be 
Single  omitted  in  writing  the  title,  and  it  should  be  capital- 
works  ized  and  italicized. 

Wrong:  Do  you  like   Kipling's  Man    Who    Was  and 

Chaminade's  Silver  Bing  9 
Right :  Do  you  like  Kipling's  The  Man  Who  Was  and 

Chaminade's  The  Silver  Bing  ? 

Wrong:  I  felt  depressed  after  reading  the  House  of 

Mirth. 
Right :  I  felt   depressed  after  reading   The   House   of 

Mirth. 

Periodi-  287.    In  writing  the  name  of  a  newspaper  or  other 

cals  periodical,  however,  a  the  limiting  the  noun  of  the  title 

should  not  be  capitalized  or  italicized  even  if  it  is  part  of 


ITALICS  119 

the  title ;  and  the   name   of    a   city   modifying   adj ac- 
tively the  noun  of  the  title  should  not  be  italicized. 

Right :  She  found  there  some  copies  of  the  Pall  Mall 
Gazette^  the  Evening  Telegraphy  the  Century  Maga- 
zine^ the  New  York  Evening  Fost,  and  the  Madison 
(Wisconsin)  Democrat. 

288.  Italicize  names  of  ships.  Names  of 

ships 
Right :  I  cut  the  Hispaniola  from  her  anchor. 

289.  When  a  word   is  spoken  of  as  a  word, — not  Italics 
used  to  represent   the  thing  or   idea  that  it  ordinarily  ^^^ds 
represents,  and   not  quoted,  —  it   should   be   italicized,   discussed 
When  a  word  is  spoken  of  as  a  quoted  word,  it  should 
usually  be  inclosed  in  quotation  marks  and  not  italicized. 

Right :  The  misuse  of  grand,  awful,  and  nice  is  a  com- 
mon fault. 

Right:  In  the  expression  '*  we,  the  people,"  "people  '* 
is  in  apposition  with  "  we." 

Note.  —  With  words  discussed,  it  is  permissible  to  use 
quotation  marks  instead  of  italics,  even  when  the  words  are 
not  quoted ;  and  it  is  sometimes  necessary  and  advisable 
to  do  so.  In  this  book,  for  example,  quotation  marks  are 
used  with  incorrect  expressions  discussed,  because  this 
practice  helps,  in  some  cases,  to  distinguish  the  wrong 
phraseology  from  the  right.  But  the  better  practice  in 
general  is  to  italicize. 

290.  Italicize  unnaturalized  foreign  words  introduced  with 

into  an  English  context.  foreign 

°  words 

Right :  He  is  a  bona  fide  purchaser. 

291.  Avoid  the  habit  of  frequently  italicizing  words   For  em- 
for  emphasis ;  do  not  emphasize  a  word  in  this  way  P^^^is 
unless  there  is  some  especially  good  reason,  —  as,  for 


120 


ITALICS 


Improper 
use  for 
marking 
humor 


instance,  the  fact  that  obscurity  would  result  from  lack 
of  emphasis. 

Bad:  The  curse  of  this  age  is  commercialism  coupled 

with  hypocrisy. 
Right :  The  curse  of  this  age  is  commercialism  coupled 

with  hypocrisy. 

For  examples  of  necessary  emphasis  by  italics,  see  Rules 
2.e  and  289. 

292.  Do  not  italicize  for  the  purpose  of  calling  atten- 
tion to  your  humor  or  irony ;  this  practice  is  undignified 
and  inartistic.     (Cf.  Rules  235  and  250  e.) 

Bad  :  The  villain  in  the  play  was  charming. 
Right :  The  villain  in  the  play  was  charming. 


m.   ANALYTICAL   OUTLINES 

Form  of  Titles 

293.  In  an  analytical  outline,  make  all  the  titles,  as   Nouns, 
far  as  possible,  in  the  form  of  nouns,   with  or  without  ^^*  verbs 
modifiers.     E.g.,  write  "Kapidity  of  Movement"  rather 

than  "  Moves  Rapidly." 

Numbering  and  Arrangement  of  Titles 

294.  Number  and  indent  the  titles  of  an  outline  ac- 
cording to  the  following  method : 

The  Government  of  Switzerland 

I.  Introduction  :  Value  to  Americans   of  a  knowl-   Specimen 

edge  of  Swiss  institutions.  outline 

II.  The  legislative  department. 

1.  General  plan. 

2.  The  National  Council. 

a.  Apportionment. 

&.   Elections. 
8.   The  Council  of  States. 
4.  Powers  of  the  legislature. 

III.  The  executive  department. 

1.  General  plan. 

2.  Organization  in  detail. 

3.  Executive  powers.  —  Comparison  of  Swiss  and 

American  executives. 

IV.  The  judicial  department :  the  constitutional  court. 

121 


122  ANALYTICAL   OUTLINES 

Irregular  295.    Place  coordinate  titles  at  the  same  distance  from 

alignment     ^^^  left-hand  margin. 

The  Terms  ^^Introduction/'  '^Conclusion,''  and  ^^Body.'' 

Misuse  of         296.    Do  not  entitle  the  first  division  Introduction 

fSn  and '     nor  the  last  Conclusion  unless  their  material  is  distinct 

Conclu-       from  the  body. 
8  ion 

Wrong  outline  for  an  account  of  a  sleigh-ride  : 

I.  Introduction  :  the  start. 
II.   The  journey  out. 

III.    Conclusion  :  the  return. 

Right : 

I.    Introduction  :  winter  in  Dakota. 

II.  The  start. 

III.  The  journey  out. 

IV.  The  return. 

V.   Conclusion  :  comparison  of  sleighing  and  other 
sports. 

Body  or  297.    Do  not   use   the   title   Body    or   Discussion; 

not^to^be  ^   place  the  titles  belonging  to  the  body,  or  discussion,  of  an 
used  essay  flush  with  the  left-hand  margin,  as  in  the  outline 

on  page  121. 

Over-minute  Subdivision 

Qver-  298.    Do  not  indicate  minute  and  unimportant  divir 

minute-        sions. 


ness 


Bad  : 

1.   Situation  of  building. 

a.  In  Ames  County. 

b.  On  a  hill. 

c.  Facing  east. 

Right : 

1.   Situation  of  building. 


CERTAIN  ILLOGICAL  PRACTICES  123 

Certain  Illogical  Practices 

299.  Do  not  write  as  a  subtitle  what  is  logically  a 
part  of  the  governing  title ;  join  it  to  the  governing 
title  or  else  omit  it. 

Bad : 

T    -f^       J-        £  ^x,      'J.  Part  of  a 

I.  Founding  of  the  city.  title  writ- 

1.   By  Dionysius  Jones.  ten  like  a 

II.   Its  principal  industry.  subtitle 

1.  Piano  manufacturing. 
Right ; 

I.  Founding  of  the  city. 

II.  Principal  industry,  piano  manufacturing. 

Bad: 

I.  Ancestors. 

1.    Scotch. 
II.  Birthplace. 

1.   Farm  in  Indiana. 

Right : 

I.   Scotch  ancestors. 

II.  Birthplace  :  description  of  the  Indiana  farm. 
See  also  titles  I  and  IV  in  the  outline  on  page  121. 

300.  Do  not  write  as  the  first  subtitle  what  is  logi-  Second  or 
cally  the  second  or  third ;  write  it   as    a  memorandum  title  writ^ 
after  the  governing  title,  or  else  insert  the  subtitles  that  ten  like 
should  logically  precede  it. 

Bad: 

I.   Situation. 

1.   Advantages. 

Right  : 

I.  Situation :  its  advantages. 

Also  right : 

I.   Situation. 

1.  Geographical  location. 

2.  Advantages. 


124 


ANALYTICAL   OUTLINES 


Bad: 
II. 

Right : 
II. 


Attempts  to  destroy  it. 
1.   Why  they  failed. 


Coordi- 
nate title 
written 
like  a 
subtitle 


Attempts  to  destroy  it. 

1.  The  first  attempt. 

2.  The  attempt  of  1901. 

8.   Reason  for  the  failure  of  all  attempts. 
See  also  title  III,  3,  of  the  outline  on  page  121. 

301.    Do  not  write  as  a  subtitle   what  is  logically  co- 
ordinate with  the  preceding  title. 

Bad  [The  rule  is  violated  in  titles  II,  1,  and  II,  1,  a]  ; 

I.   The  departure. 
II,   The  arrival  in  the  city. 
1.   Journey  to  the  store. 
a.   Purchases. 


IIL 

Return  home. 

Right 

: 

I. 

Departure. 

IL 

Arrival  in  the  city. 

III. 

Journey  to  the  store. 

IV. 

Purchases. 

V. 

Return. 

Also  right  ; 

L 

Departure. 

n. 

Experiences  in  the  city. 

1.   Arrival. 

2.   Journey  to  the  store. 

3.   Purchases. 

III. 

Return. 

Subtitle 
written 
like  a  co- 
ordinate 
title 


302.    Do  not  place  a  subtitle  coordinate  with  its  gov- 
erning title. 

Bad  [The  rule  is  violated  in  title  II]  : 
I.   Disadvantages  of  football. 

1.  Physical  harm. 

2.  Distraction  from  studies. 
IL   Encouragement  of  gambling. 


CERTAIN   ILLOGICAL   PRACTICES  125 

Right  : 

II.   Disadvantages  of  football. 

1.  Physical  harm. 

2.  Distraction  from  studies. 

3.  Encouragement  of  gambling, 

303.    Do  not  write  the  title  of  the  composition  like  Main  title 
the  title  of  a  division.  Hke^sub- 

Bad:  title 

I.  Shipbuilding  in  Maine. 

1.  Introduction. 

2.  Principal  seats. 

3.  Methods. 

etc. 
Right : 

Shipbuilding  in  Maine 

I.   Introduction. 
II.  Principal  seats. 
III.    Methods, 
etc. 


IV.     LETTER  WRITING 


Letters  in  the  First  Person 


Address 

before 

date 


The  ad- 
dress : 

Insuffi- 
cient 
address 


Street 
direction 
before  city 


House 
numbers 


Numbers 
of  streets 


The  Heading 

304.  The  first  member  of  a  con-ect  letter  written  in 
the  first  person  is  the  heading,  —  i.e.,  a  statement  of  the 
address  of  the  writer  and  the  date  of  writing.  The  ad. 
dress  should  precede  the  date. 

Wrong :  June  4,  1904, 

Groveport,  Ohio. 
Right :  Groveport,  Ohio,  June  4,  1904, 

305.  The  address  in  the  heading  should  be  such  as 
would  be  sufficient  for  a  postal  direction. 

Insufficient  :  Chicago,  Illinois. 

Right  :  212  State  Street, 

Chicago,  Illinois. 

306.  If  the  address  contains  a  street  direction,  this 
should  precede  the  name  of  the  city. 

Wrong:  Columbus,  Ohio. 

28  High  Street. 
Right :  28  High  Street, 

Columbus,  Ohio. 

307.  A  house  number  should  be  written  in  Arabic 
figures  and  should  be  preceded  by  no  word  or  sign. 

Wrong  I  Fifteen  H  Street. 
Wrong:  #15  H  Street. 
Right:  16  H  Street. 

308.  Street  numbers  less  than  one  hundred  should  be 
spelled  out.     (See  Rule  272  6.) 

Right:  286  Forty-second  Street.     [See  Rule  277.] 
126 


THE   HEADING  127 

309.  In  writing  a  street  direction  do  not  omit  Street.   Omission 

of  Street 

Wrong :  17  Main. 
Right :  17  Main  Street. 

310.  The  date  should  consist  of  the  name  (not  the  The  date: 
number)  of  the  month,  the  number  of  the  day  of  the  Complete- 
month,  and  the  complete  number  of  the  year. 

Inelegant:  3/21/'06. 
Right :  March  21,  1906. 

311.  All  the  numbers  in  the  date  should  be  written  Figures, 
in  Arabic  figures,  not  represented  by  words.     (See  Rule  ^^*  words 
270.     But  cf.  Rule  338.) 

Wrong :  March  the  twenty-first,  nineteen  hundred  and 

six. 
Right:  March  21,  1906. 

312.  The  number  of  the  day  should  not  be  followed  St,nd,  etc^ 
by  stj  nd,  rd,  d,  or  tJi,  ^^q^ 

Undesirable :  March  21st,  1906. 
Right:  March  21,  1906. 

313.  Do  not  use  any  abbreviations  in  the  heading.  Abbrevia- 
It  is  permissible  to  waive  this  rule  in  business  letters,  but  it  ^^^l  ^^^^ 
is  more  dignified  and  decorous  to  observe  it  invariably. 

Undesirable  :  Norton,  Mass.,  Jan.  3,  1906. 

Right :  Norton,  Massachusetts, 

January  3,  1906. 

314.  The  entire  heading,  if  short,  may  be  written  on  Grouping 
one  line.     If  two  lines  are  necessary,  the  date  should  be  ^ladLg 
written  alone  on  a  separate  line.     If  three  are  necessary,  into  lines 
the  street   direction  should  stand  on  the  first   line,  the 

name  of  the  city  and  state  on  the  second,  and  the  date 
on  the  third. 


128 


LETTERS   IN  THE   FIRST  PERSON 


Right : 
Wrong : 

Right: 
Right : 


Fayette,  Ohio,  May  21,  190a 

21  North  Street, 

Lima,  Ohio,  June  1,  1904. 

21  North  Street,  Lima,  Ohio, 
June  1,  1904. 

5051  Madison  Avenue, 

Chicago,  Illinois, 
August  27,  1901. 


Position 
of  the 
heading 


315.  The  heading  should  be  written  at  the  beginning 
of  the  letter  at  the  right  side  of  the  page.  (See  the 
letters  on  page  135.) 


Separa- 
tion or 


316.  Do  not  write  a  part  of  the  heading  (see  Rule 
304)  at  the  beginning  of  the  letter  and  a  part  at  the 
of ^em-^  close ;  and  do  not  repeat  the  heading  or  a  part  of  it  at 
hers  the  close  when  it  has  been  written  at  the  beginning. 


Bad: 


Dear  John, 


Asheville,  N.  C,  May  1,  1907. 


Yours  sincerely, 

Robert  Graves, 
20  Charlotte  St. 


Bad: 


Asheville,  N.  C,  May  1,  1907. 
Dear  John, 

«  ^  « 

Yours  sincerely, 

Robert  Graves. 
20  Charlotte  St. , 

Asheville,  N.  C. 


THE   SALUTATION  129 

Eight: 

20  Charlotte  Street, 
Asheville,  North  Carolina, 
May  1,  1907. 
Dear  John, 

«  «  « 

Yours  sincerely, 

Robert  Graves. 

The  Salutation 

317.  The  following  are  proper  salutations  for  business  Business 
,  ^^  letters 
letters : 

My  dear  Sir  :  My  dear  Madam  : 

Gentlemen :  Ladies : 

Note.  —  Dear  Sir  and  Dear  Madam  may  be  used  where 
familiarity  of  address  is  proper  ;  they  are  less  ceremonious 
than  My  dear  Sir  and  My  dear  Madam.  In  letters  purport- 
ing to  come  from  more  than  one  person  (e.g.,  a  letter  signed 
*'  D.  C.  Heath  and  Company  ")  the  my  is,  of  course,  neces- 
sarily omitted  in  any  case. 

318.  Never  use  the  abbreviation  Messrs.  as  a  saluta-    Misuse  of 
tion.     (See  Messrs.  in  the  glossary.)  Messrs. 

Bad: 

D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 

Boston. 
Messrs.  — 
Right :  # 

Messrs.  D.  C.  Heath  and  Company, 

Boston,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

319.  The  following  are  proper  salutations  for  letters  Letters  of 
of  friendship :  friendship 

My  dear  Sir :  My  dear  Madam  : 

My  dear  Mr.  Smith,  My  dear  Miss  Jones, 

My  dear  John,  My  dear  Susan, 

Note.  —  The  foregoing  salutations  with  My  omitted  may 
be  used  where  familiarity  of  address  is  proper ;  salutations 
without  My  are  less  ceremonious  than  those  with  My, 


130 


LETTERS  IN  THE   FIRST  PERSON 


Vulgar 
saluta- 
tions 


A  name 
for  a  salu- 
tation 


Abbrevia- 
tions not 
to  be  used 


Punctua- 
tion 


Position 
of  the 
salutation 


320.  The   salutations    "Dear    Friend,"    "My   dear 
Friend,"  and  "  Friend  John  "  are  not  in  reputable  use 
avoid  them. 

321.  Never  use  a  name  alone  as  a  salutation. 

Bad: 

Melmore,  O.,  Sept.  3,  '07. 
Mr.  Percy  Clapp:  — 

Please  inform  me  .  . . 
Right: 

Melmore,  Ohio,  September  3,  1907. 
My  dear  Mr.  Clapp, 

Will  you  please  inform  me  .  .  . 

322.  In  the  salutation  never  use  any  abbreviation, 
except  Mr.,  Mrs.,  and  Dr.     (See  Rule  269.) 

Bad  :  My  dear  Prof.  Walker. 
Right :  My  dear  Professor  Walker. 
Bad  :  Dear  Capt.  Ayer. 
Right :  Dear  Captain  Ayer. 

323.  The  salutation  should  be  followed  by  a  colon  if 
the  letter  is  formal ;  by  a  comma  if  the  letter  is  more  or 
less  informal.     See  the  two  letters  on  page  135. 

324.  The  salutation  should  be  written  flush  with  the 
left-hand  margin.  The  body  of  the  letter  should  begin 
on  the  line  below,  near  the  middle  of  the  line.  See  the 
examples  on  page  135. 


Business 
letters 


Letters  of 
friendship 


Tlie  Complimentary  Close 

325.  The  following  are  proper  complimentary  closes 

for  business  letters : 

Yours  truly, 
Yours  veiy  truly, 
Yours  respectfully, 

326.  The  following  are  proper  complimentary  closes 

for  letters  of  friendship : 

Yours  very  truly, 
Yours  sincerely, 


THE   INSIDE   ADDKESS  131 

327.  Do  not  use  any  abbreviation,  such  as  "yrs"or  Vulgar 
"  resp'y  ^'  in  the  complimentary  close  ;  nor  write  "  respec-  ^^^^^^ 
tively"  for  respectfully ;  nor  write  "and  oblige"  in  the 

place  of  the  complimentary  close. 

328.  The  complimentary  close  should  be  written  on  a  Position 
separate  line,  should  stand  near  the  middle  of  the  line,    tuation^^' 
should  begin  with  a  capital,  and  should  be  followed  by 

a  comma.     See  the  examples  on  page  135. 

329.  All  expressions  introducing  the  complimentary  Position 
close,  such  as  "lam,"  "believe me,"  "good-bye,"  should  w^word^ 
occupy  their  regular  positions  in  the  body  of  the  letter. 

Eight : 
Accept  my  congratulations  upon  your  new  appoint- 
ment ;  and  believe  me 

Yours  sincerely, 

Henry  Cobb. 

The  Inside  Address 

330.  The  inside  address  —  a  statement  of  the  name   Essential 
and  address  of  the  person  written  to  —  is  an  essential   piete^ietter 
part  of  a  complete  letter,  though  it  may  be  omitted  from 
informal  letters. 

331.  The  street  direction  may  be  omitted  from  the  Omission 

inside  address.  of  street 

direction 
Right :  permis- 

The  Tiffany  Company,  sible 

New  York  City. 
Gentlemen : 

332.  Do  not  write  a  name  alone  above  the  salutation.   Name 
.^^  '  without 
Wrong :  address 

Mr.  Harvey  Myers. 
My  dear  Sir : 


Right : 


Mr.  Harvey  Myers, 

Seattle,  Washington. 
My  dear  Sir : 


132 


LETTERS   IN  THE   FIRST  PERSON 


Abbrevia- 
tions not 
to  be  used 


Permis- 
sible ex- 
ceptions 


Use  of  the 
title  Esq. 


Position : 
Com- 
mercial 
letters 

Other 
letters 


333.  In  the  inside  address  do  not  omit  Mr.  or  what- 
ever other  title  is  proper ;  and  use  no  abbreviations  ex- 
cept Mr.,  Esq.,  Messrs.,  Mrs.,  Dr.,  and  suffixed  initial 
titles,  like  Ph.D.     (See  Rule  269.) 

Lacking  in  courtesy  and  propriety  : 
West  and  Burchell, 

Chicago. 


Right : 


Gentlemen  : 

Messrs.  West  and  Burchell, 

Chicago,  Illinois. 
Gentlemen  : 


Lacking  in  courtesy  and  propriety : 
Century  Pub.  Co., 

N.  Y;  City. 
Gentlemen : 

Right : 

The  Century  Publishing  Company, 

New  York  City. 
Gentlemen : 

Note  1. — By  way  of  exception,  the  long  names  United 
States  of  America  and  District  of  Columbia  may  be  abbrevi- 
ated respectively  to  JJ.  S.A.  and  D.C,  It  is  permissible  in 
business  letters  to  abbreviate  the  names  of  States  also  ;  but 
the  better  practice  is  to  spell  out  those  names.  Abbreviation 
of  the  short  names  Maine,  Ohio,  and  Iowa  is  objectionable 
in  any  letter. 

Note  2.  —  The  title  Esq.  is  a  proper  substitute  for  Mr. 
When  Esq.  follows  a  name,  no  title  should  precede  the 
name. 

Wrong :  Mr.  Ralph  Williams  Esq. 
Right :  Ralph  Williams,  Esq. 

334.  In  commercial  letters  the  insiile  address  should 
stand  above  the  salutation ;  in  letters  of  friendship,  and 
in  business  letters  not  dealing  with  mercantile  transac- 
tions, it  should  stand,  not  above  the  salutation,  but  at 
the  bottom  of  the  letter  at  the  left  side  of  the  page.  See 
the  letters  on  page  135. 


LITERARY   STYLE  133 

Literary  Style 

335.   The  following  faults,  characteristic  of  ill-educated  Certain 
writers  and  of  writers  without  good  taste,  are  to  be  isms: 
especially  avoided  in  letters : 

(a)  The  omission  of  pronouns,  articles,  and  prepositions.  Ellipsis 
Bad :  Received  your  letter  of  the  6th  ult.  While  very 
doubtful  of  the  result,  will  try  to  carry  out  your 
instructions. 
Right :  I  have  received  your  letter  of  August  6.  [See 
Rule  336,  below.]  Though  I  am  very  doubtful  about 
the  result,  I  will  try  to  carry  out  your  instructions. 

Bad :  We  enclose  check  for  three  dollars. 
Right :  We  enclose  a  check  for  three  dollars. 

Bad  :  Direct  letter  care  Thomas  Cook. 
Right :  Direct  the  letter  in  care  of  Thomas  Cook. 
Bad :  Mr.  H.  P.  Thurston,  editor  Jenksville  Patriot. 
Right :  Mr.  H.  P.  Thurston,  editor   of  the  Jenksville 
Patriot. 

Note. — The  omission  of  I  is  proper  in  diaries  and  in 
letters  written  in  the  style  of  a  diary,  —  i.  e. ,  intended  to 
present  mere  ^asty  memoranda  jotted  down  without  any 
attempt  at  completeness  of  form.  Thus,  Tennyson  writes 
to  his  wife  :  *'  Slept  at  Spedding's  where  I  found  they 
expected  me.  Started  this  morning  11  a.m.  Hay  fever 
atrocious  with  irritation  of  railway,  nearly  drove  me  crazed, 
but  could  not  complain,  the  other  only  occupant  having  a 
curiously  split  shoe  for  his  better  ease  ..."  In  such  let- 
ters, clipped  expressions  harmonize  with  the  context.  In  a  let- 
ter, however,  that  is  intended  to  be  complete  and  regular  in 
form,  the  omission  of  /and  of  other  grammatically  essential 
words  is  incongruous  and  in  bad  taste.     (See  Rule  337, below.) 

(6)  Writing  "  yours,"  "  your  favor,"  or  "  your  esteemed  *'  Yours,  * 

favor"  for  your  letter.     (See  Rule  17,  note.)  favor^' 

(c)  The  use  of  the  formula  "yours  of  the  1 7th  re- 
ceived," or  "yours   of  the    17th   at   hand."     Write   a  "Yours 

r6C6iV6Q 

grammatically  complete  expression,  such  as  "  I  have  your 
letter  of  June  17." 


134" 


LETTERS   IN   THE   FIRST  PERSON 


'*  In  reply 

would 

say" 

"  I  would, 
will,  or 
can  say" 

"  Same  " 


*  Please ' 


"  Please 

find 

enclosed" 

"  ($10) 
ten  dol- 
lars" 

Name  of 
city  abbre- 
viated 

Participial 
close 

"and 
oblige  " 


The  use 
of/ 


Not  to  be 
avoided 
by  mere 
ellipsis 


(d)  The  use  of  the  formula  "in  reply  would  say"  or 
"will  say."  Write  a  grammatically  complete  expression, 
such  as  "In  reply  allow  me  to  say." 

(e)  The  use  of  the  formula  "  I  would  say,"  "  I  will 
say,"  or  "I  can  say."  Write  "Allow  me  to  say"  or  "I 
desire  to  say,"  or  else  omit  any  such  introduction. 

(/)  The  use  of  the  expression  "  same  "  or  "  the  same." 
Use  it  or  they.     (See  Same  in  the  Glossary.) 

Vulgar :  Yours  of  the  3rd  at  hand,  and  in  reply  would 
say  we  are  at  present  out  of  lamps  desired  but  will 
send  same  as  soon  as  possible. 

Right :  In  reply  to  your  letter  of  March  3,  we  beg  leave 
to  state  that  we  have  not  at  present  the  lamps  you 
desire.     We  will  send  them  as  soon  as  possible. 

(g)  The  use  of  the  expression  "  please  "  alone.  Kather 
write  "Will  you  please." 

(h)  The  use  of  the  formula  "  Please  find  enclosed.'' 
Write  "  I  enclose." 

(?:)  The  use  of  the  formula  "($10)  ten  dollars"  or 
ten  (110)  dollars."     (See  Rule  274.) 

(j)  The  abbreviation  of  the  name  of  a  city ;  e.g.,  of 
Cincinnati  to  "  Cin.,"  of  Pliiladelpliia  to  "  Phil.,"  or  of 
New  York  City  to  "  NT.  Y.  City." 

{k)  Monotonously  closing  all  letters  with  a  sentence 
introduced  by  a  participle,  as  "  Hoping  to  hear  soon  .  .  ." 
"  Thanking  you  again  .  .  . "  ;  or  monotonously  closing 
all  letters  of  request  with  "and  oblige." 

336.  The  rule  often  taught,  that  it  is  improper  to 
begin  the  body  of  a  letter  with  /,  is  nonsense  ;  beginning 
with  /  is  always  permissible  and  often  desirable. 

337.  The  monotonously  frequent  use  of  /  in  letters  is 
a  common  fault  which  it  is  well  to  guard  against.  But 
one  should  not,  in  order  to  avoid  this  fault,  commit  the 
worse  fault  of  simply  omitting  I ;  as  "  Have  not  heard 
from  you  for  a  long  time.    Should  think  you  ought  to  have 


FORMAL   NOTES   IN   THE   TPIIRD  PERSON    135 

written  before  this."  The  noticeably  frequent  use  of  I  is 
nothing  worse  than  an  awkwardness ;  the  ellipsis  of  /is 
a  vulgarism.  (See  Rule  335  a,  above.)  As  between  the 
two,  the  awkwardness  is  preferable.  To  avoid  the  repeti- 
tion of  /,  practice  variety  of  sentence  structure,  not  ellipsis. 

A  Correctly  Written  Business  Letter 

17  Lumber  Exchange,  Specimen 

Minneapolis,  Minnesota,    letters 
Mr.  Henry  Coleman,  ^'^""^'•y  2,  1907. 

Chicago,  Illinois. 
My  dear  Sir : 

I  have  your  letter  of  December  29.    Allow  me  to 
say  in  reply  that  the  house  is  still  for  sale. 

Yours  truly, 

Frank  Shaw. 

A  Correctly  Written  Letter  of  Friendship 

Murray  Hill  Hotel, 
New  York  City, 
September  20,  1907. 
My  dear  Mr.  Crawford, 

The  composition  you  inquire  about  is  L.  Pabst's 
Aria  con  Variazioni  in  D  flat  major.  I  forget  who  publishes 
it ;  but  you  can  get  it  by  sending  to  Schirmer's  New  York 
house. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Edith  Morris. 
Mr.  George  Crawford, 
1301  Beacon  Street, 

Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Formal  Notes  in  the  Third  Person 

338.    Formal  notes  written  in  the  third  person  should 
have  no  heading,  no  salutation,  no  complimentary  close, 
no  inside  address,  and  no  signature.      They  should  be   Solely  in 
written  consistently  and  solely  in  the  third  person ;  the  pe^/s^n 
writer  should  not  refer  to  himself  as  I  or  to  the  addressee 


136     FORMAL  NOTES   IN  THE   THIRD  PERSON 

No  ab-  as  you.  Except  Mr.,  Mrs.,  Messrs.,  and  Dr.,  no  abbrevi- 
tions  '  ations  whatever  should  be  used ;  and  numbers  occurring 
in  dates  should  —  unlike  those  in  ordinary  letters  —  be 
Numbers  spelled  out.  For  information  about  other  matters,  the 
spelled  out  following  examples  will  suffice  : 

Right : 

Mrs.  Burton  requests  the  pleasure  of  Miss  Irwin's 
company  at  dinner  on  Friday,  May  the  second,  at 
seven  o'clock. 
935  Webster  Street, 

April  the  twenty-third. 

Right : 

Miss  Irwin  accepts  with   pleasure   Mrs.   Burton's 
invitation  to  dinner  on  May  the  second. 
1720  Princeton  Avenue, 

April  the  twenty -fourth. 

Bad: 

500  Anderson  Street, 
Hennesy,  Mich., 
Jan.  10,  '07. 
Mr.  Matthews  regrets  that  he  will  not  be  able  to 
accept  your  invitation  for  Jan.  15.      Severe   illness 
will  make  it  impossible  for  me  to  come. 
Yours  truly, 

Hiram  Matthews. 
Right : 

Mr.  Matthews  regrets  that,  on  account  of  illness,  he 
is  unable  to  accept  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eliot's  invitation  for 
January  the  fifteenth. 
500  Anderson  Street, 
January  the  tenth. 

Misuse  Note.  —  The  future  tense  in  the  first  sentence  of  the  fore- 

of  future      ffoinff  Bad  letter  illustrates  a  common  error  in  letters  of 
coiioc  regret  or  acceptance. 

Wrong  :  Mr.  Smith  will  be 'pleased  to  accept  .  .  .     [The 
being  pleased  to  accept  is  present,  nou  future.] 

Right :  Mr.  Smith  accepts ;  [or]  Mr.  Smith  is  pleased  to 
accept. 


SUNDRY   MECHANICAL   DIRECTIONS        137 

Wrong :  .  .  regrets  that  he  will  be  unable  to 
accept  .  .  .  [The  inability  to  accept  is  present,  not 
future.] 

Right :  .  .  .  regrets  that  he  is  unable  to  accept  .  .  . 


Sundry  Mechanical  Directions 

339.  The  ink  used  in  letter  writing  should  be  of  no  ink 
other  color  than  black. 

340.  Letter-paper  consisting  of  sheets  so  folded  that  Writ 
each  sheet  is  like  a  little  book  of  four  pages,  is  suitable  ^^^^ 
for  all  letters,  —  commercial,  professional,  or  social ;  and 

for  the  letters  of  private  individuals,  as  distinguished  Four 
from  those  of  public  officials  and  those  of  business  firms, 
it  is,  on  the  whole,  preferable  to  writing-paper  in  flat 
sheets.  The  use  of  the  latter  kind  is  best  confined  to 
business  or  professional  correspondence.  Writing-paper 
that  is  ruled,  or  limp  and  flimsy  in  texture,  or  conspicu- 
ous because  of  unusual  color,  should  be  used  for  no  letters 
whatever  —  except  in  case  of  emergency. 

341.  The  writing  should  not  be  crowded  close  to  the 
fop  of  any  page,  but  should  begin  an  inch  or  two  below. 
For  the  sake  of  neat  and  attractive  appearance,  it  is  best 
to  keep  a  blank  margin  at  least  half  an  inch  wide  at  the 
left  side  of  every  page.  Rules  165-177  and  183-187 
should  be  observed  in  letters  as  well  as  in  other  manu- 
scripts. 

342.  When  flat  sheets  of  paper  are  used,  it  is  usually 
best  that  only  one  side  of  each  sheet  be  written  on.  If 
both  sides  are  written  on,  the  reader  is  slightly  incon- 
venienced in  holding  and  turning  the  sheets  as  he  reads. 

343.  When  four-page  sheets  are  used,  all  four  pages 
may  be  written  on.  The  letter  should  be  so  written 
that  a  person  reading  the  first  page  has  at  his  left  the 


Flat 
sheets 


Margin 
at  top 


Flat 
sheets 


138       SUNDRY   MECHANICAL   DIRECTIONS 

fold,  and  at  his  right  the  coinciding  edges  opposite  the 
fold.  If  the  substance  of  the  letter  occupies  less  than 
two  pages  of  the  sheet,  the  first  and  third  pages  may  be 
written  on  and  the  second  be  left  blank.  If  the  sub- 
stance of  the  letter  occupies  more  than  two  pages,  it  is 
best,  both  on  the  ground  of  good  usage  and  on  that  of 
the  reader's  convenience,  that  the  pages  be  written  on  in 
their  natural  order,  — viz.,  1,  2,  3,  4;  not  in  the  order 
1,  3,  2,  4  or  1,  4,  2,  3.  On  the  same  grounds,  it  is  best 
that  the  lines  of  writing  on  all  the  pages  be  at  right 
angles  to  the  fold,  not  parallel  with  the  fold. 

344.  A  letter  written  on  a  four-page  sheet  should  be 
enclosed  in  an  envelope  of  the  same  material  and  of  such 
shape  and  size  that  the  letter  will  fit  into  it  when  folded 
with  one  horizontal  crease  through  the  center.  The 
letter  should  be  so  folded  that  the  upper  and  the  lower 
halves  of  page  1  face  each  other ;  or,  in  other  words,  so 
that  the  horizontal  crease  will  appear  as  a  groove  on 
pages  1  and  3,  and  as  a  ridge  on  pages  2  and  4.  The 
letter  should  be  so  placed  in  the  envelope  that  the  hori- 
zontal crease  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  envelope,  and  the 
two  coinciding  halves  of  the  vertical  crease  originally 
dividing  the  sheet  are  at  the  left  hand  of  a  person  looking 
at  the  sealed  side  of  the  envelope. 


345.  A  letter  written  on  flat  sheets  of  paper  of  note 
size  (approximately  6x8  inches)  may  be  enclosed  — 

(a)  In  an  envelope  into  which  it  will  fit  when  folded 
with  one  crease  running  through  the  center.  In  this 
case,  the  two  halves  of  page  1  should  be  made  to  face 
each  other ;  or,  in  other  words,  the  crease  should  appear, 
to  a  person  reading  page  1,  as  a  groove,  not  as  a  ridge. 
Place  the  letter  in  the  envelope  with  the  crease  at  the 
bottom,  and  with  the  half  containing  the  heading  next 
to  the  face,  not  the  sealed  side,  of  the  envelope. 


SUNDRY  MECHANICAL   DIRECTIONS       139 

(6)  In  an  envelope  of  commercial  size  (approximately  Coramer- 
3^  X  6|-  inches).     In  this  case,  fold  the  letter  into  three  ^^^/opg' 
sections,  — a  central  section  and  two  flaps.     Correct  fold- 
ing may  be  accomplished  by  the  following  process :     As 
the  letter  lies  right  side  up  on  the  table,  raise  the  lower 
part  and  fold  it  upward  over  the  middle  part,  making  a 

horizontal  crease  about  one  third  of  the  distance  from  the  „,  .  . 
1  1  '        ^  .         1  /•  1  1     vVritmg 

bottom  to  the  top ;  next,  raise  the  upper  part  and  lold  parallel 

it  downward,  making  a  horizontal  crease  about  one  fourth  ^^^^  ^^^^ 
of  the  distance  from  the  top  to  the  bottom.     The  creases 
should  appear,  to  a  person  reading  page  1,  as  grooves, 
not  ridges.     The  letter  so  folded  should  be  placed  in  the 
envelope  with  the  two  flaps  next  to  the  sealed  side,  not  ^  .  . 
next  to  the  face,  of  the  envelope ;  with  the  smaller  flap  parallel 
on  top  of  the  larger  one;  and  with  the  outward  edge  of  Ij^os 
the  smaller  flap  pointing  downward.     The  foregoing  direc- 
tions apply  to  letters  in  which  the  lines  of  writing  run 
parallel  to  the  short  sides  of  the  paper.     Letters  in  which 
the  lines  run  parallel  to  the  long  sides  should  be  folded 
into  the  same  shape ;  but  the  part  containing  the  saluta-  * 

tion  should  form  the  smaller  flap.  Such  a  letter  should 
be  placed  in  the  envelope  with  the  flaps  next  to  the  sealed 
side,  with  the  smaller  flap  on  top  of  the  larger  one,  and  with 
the  outward  edge  of  the  smaller  flap  pointing  upward. 

346.    A  letter  written  on  flat  sheets  of  paper  of  full   Flat  sheet 
commercial   size  (approximately  8x11  inches)  may  be  c^i^nier. 
enclosed —  cial  size : 

(a)  In  an  envelope  of  commercial  size  (approximately 
3^  X  6|-  inches).  In  this  case,  correct  folding  may  be  ac-  Commer 
complished  by  the  following  process  :  As  the  letter  lies  ye^opg" 
face  up  on  the  table,  raise  the  lower  part  and  fold  it  up- 
ward over  the  upper  part  with  a  horizontal  crease  run- 
ning slightly  below  the  center.  Keeping  the  upper  part 
lying  next  the  table,  and  keeping  the  horizontal  crease 


140       SUNDRY  MECHANICAL   DIRECTIONS 


toward  you,  raise  the  right-hand  part  and  fold  it  toward 
the  left,  making  a  vertical  crease  about  one  third  of  the 
distance  from  right  to  left.  Finally,  raise  the  left-hand 
part  and  fold  it  toward  the  right,  making  a  vertical  crease 
about  one  fourth  of  the  distance  from  left  to  right.  When 
page  1  is  read,  the  horizontal  crease  and  the  two  vertical 
creases  that  divide  the  upper  half  of  the  page  should 
appear  as  grooves,  and  the  two  vertical  creases  that  divide 
the  lower  half  should  appear  as  ridges.  The  letter,  as 
folded,  consists  of  a  central  section  and  two  flaps.  Place 
it  in  the  envelope  with  the  two  flaps  next  to  the  sealed 
side,  not  next  to  the  face,  of  the  envelope;  with  the 
smaller  flap  on  top  of  the  larger  one ;  and  with  the  out- 
ward edge  of  the  smaller  flap  pointing  upward. 

(b)  In  an  envelope  of  official  size  (approximately 
10x4  inches).  In  this  case,  it  should  be  folded 
and  enclosed  according  to  the  method  shown  in  Rule 
345  b. 

(c)  In  an  approximately  square  envelope,  into  which  it 
will  fit  when  folded  with  one  horizontal  and  one  vertical 
crease,  both  running  through  the  center.  In  this  case, 
make  the  horizontal  fold  first,  laying  the  upper  and  the 
lower  halves  of  .page  1  face  to  face  —  or,  in  other  words, 
making  a  crease  that  will  appear  as  a  groove  in  page  1 ; 
then  fold  with  a  vertical  crease  that  will  appear  as  a 
groove  in  the  upper  half  of  page  1,  and  as  a  ridge  in  the 
lower  half.  Place  the  letter  in  the  envelope  with  the 
vertical  crease  at  the  bottom  and  the  two  coinciding 
halves  of  the  horizontal  crease  at  the  right  hand,  with 
respect  to  a  person  looking  at  the  sealed  side  of  the 
envelope. 

347.  The  foregoing  rules  in  regard  to  the  manner  of 
folding  letters  and  inserting  them  in  envelopes  are  merely 
detailed  applications  of  the  simple  rule  of  courtesy :  Fold 
and   enclose  the  letter  in  such  a  way  that  the  receiver 


THE   ENVELOPE 


141 


will  be  able,  with  the  least  possible  effort,  to  get  it  right 
side  up  in  his  hand,  ready  to  read.  A  few  experiments 
will  show  that  if  any  of  the  directions  in  Kules  344-346, 
above,  are  disregarded  in  the  folding  and  enclosing  of  a 
letter,  the  addressee,  on  taking  the  letter  from  the  en- 
velope and  unfolding  it  in  tlie  natural  way,  will  find  it 
with  the  first  page  turned  from  him  or  with  the  writing 
upside  down. 


The  Envelope 

348.    In  writing   the  address  on  an  envelope,  apply  The  super- 
Rules  307,  308,  309,  333,  and  335  a.  scription: 

Bad: 

Thos.  Howe, 
c/o  Capt.  Wm.  Fisk,  Addres- 

Wabasha,  see's  title 

Minn. 


Right : 


Bad: 


Mr.  Thomas  Howe 

In  care  of  Captain  William  Fisk 

Wabasha 

Minnesota 


Rev.  Chas.  Went  worth, 
#463  9th  St., 
Bridgeport, 
Ct. 


Right : 


Bad: 


The  Reverend  Charles  Wentworth, 

463  Ninth  Street, 

Bridgeport, 

Connecticut. 


Editor  Centerville  Ledger, 
#65  North  Liberty, 
Centerville, 
O. 


142 


THE  ENVELOPE 


Right : 


For  the  Editor  of  the  Centerville  Ledger 
65  North  Liberty  Street 
Centerville 
Ohio 


The  post- 
age stamp 


349.  It  is  permissible  to  write  the  address  on  an  en- 
velope without  any  marks  of  punctuation  at  the  ends 
of  lines.  If  such  punctuation  is  employed,  a  period- 
should  be  placed  at  the  end  of  the  last  line  and  a 
comma  at  the  end  of  each  preceding  line. 

Right : 

Professor  Henry  D.  Lennington 
1436  Putnam  Avenue 
Woonsocket 
Rhode  Island 

Colonel  Charles  Kent, 
The  Southwick  Hotel, 
Kansas  City, 
Missouri. 

350.  The  postage  stamp  should  be  attached  in  the  upper 
right-hand  corner.  It  should  be  right  side  up,  and  its  edges 
should  be  parallel  to  the  edges  of  the  envelope.  A  postage 
stamp  upside  down  or  affixed  in  a  haphazard  fashion  raises 
against  the  sender  of  the  letter  a  suspicion  of  slovenhness. 


Right  ■ 


Y    A  GLOSSAEY 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS    FAULTY    EXPRESSIONS 

A.D.  Means  m  the  year  of  the  Lord.  Should  not,  therefore,  be  ap- 
pended  to  the  name  of  a  century.  Should  not  be  appended  to 
a  date  self-evidently  modern.  When  used,  should  precede  the 
date  and  should  not  be  preceded  by  a  preposition. 

Wrong :  The  sixth  century  a.d. 

Right :  The  sixth  century  after  Christ. 

Right:  Arminius  died  A.D.  21. 

About.     See  At  about. 

Accept.     See  Except. 

Affect.  Means  to  influence;  as  "  Trade  would  be  seriously  affected  by 
a  war."  Is  never  used  as  a  noun — always  as  a  verb.  Often 
confused  with  effect.  Effect  (verb)  means  to  bring  to  pass, 
as  "He  effected  a  reconciliation."  Effect  (noun)  means  re- 
suit;  as  ''  The  drug  had  a  fatal  effect."     (See  Exercise  LXX.) 

After.  Inaccurate  :  After  having  written. 

Right:  After  writing. 

Aggravate.  Means  to  make  worse  ;  as  "The  shock  aggravated  hig 
misery. ' '     Should  not  be  used  for  vex  or  annoy. 

All  the.  The  use  of  "all  the  farther,"  "all  the  higher,"  "all  the 
faster,"  or  a  similar  expression  is  a  crudity. 

Crude  :  That  was  all  the  farther  we  went  that  day. 
Right  :  That  was  all  the  distance  we  went  that  day ;  [or]  Thai 
was  as  far  as  we  went  that  day. 

Alternative.  Means  choice  between  two  things^  or  one  of  two  thingi 
between  which  choice  is  possible  ;  as  "The  alternative  is  difficult,' 
"One  alternative  was  to  jump  from  the  window;  the  other  waj 
to  be  burned  to  death."  Should  not  be  applied  to  one  of  mor( 
than  two  things. 

Wrong :  There  is  still  a  third  alternative. 
Right :  Still  a  third  course  may  be  adopted. 

And.    Often  incorrectly  used  instead  of  to. 

Wrong  :  He  said  he  was  going  up  and  clean  out  the  attiCv 
Right  :  Ke  said  he  was  going  up  to  clean  out  the  attic. 
143 


144  A  GLOSSARY 

And  etc.    Never  put  and  before  etc. 

Wrong:  Pillows,  flags,  posters,  and  etc. 
Right :  Pillows,  flags,  posters,  etc. 

Anent.  The  use  of  this  synonym  of  about  or  concerning  suggests 
affectation. 

Any  place,  every  place,  no  place,  some  place.  Vulgarisms  for  any* 
where,  everywhere,  nowhere,  somewhere,     (See  Rule  4.) 

Appreciate.  Means  to  estimate  justly  or  to  value  highly  ;  as  **  I  ap- 
preciate the  service."  Should  not  be  modified  by  greatly  or  very 
much. 

As  (1).  The  frequent  use  of  as  as  a  causal  conjunction  is  a  mark  of 
ill-educated  writers.  Where  as  occurs  in  this  sense  there  should 
usually  be  no  conjunction. 

Bad  :  Excuse  my  short  letter  as  I  am  buried  in  work  just  now. 
Right  :  Excuse  my  short  letter  ;  I  am  buried  in  work  just  now. 
Bad  :  There  were  no  settlers  left  as  they  had  all  been  massacred. 
Right  :  There  were  no  settlers  left ;  they  had  all  beeu  massacred. 

As  (2).  In  negative  statements  and  in  questions  implying  a  negative 
answer,  good  usage  requires  the  correlatives  so  ,  .  ,  as  rather 
than  the  correlatives  as  ,  .  ,  as. 

Poor  :  The  modern  nations  are  not  as  artistic  as  the  ancient 

nations  were. 
Right  :  The  modern  nations  are  not  so  artistic  as  the  ancient 

nations  were. 

At  about.    Prefer  about. 

Inferior  :  He  came  at  about  three  o'clock. 
Right  ;  He  came  about  three  o'clock. 

Aught.  Means  anything.  The  name  of  the  symbol  0  is  naught,  not 
aught. 

Avail.  Of  no  avail  is  properly  used  only  with  some  form  of  be; 
elsewhere  use  to  no  avail. 

Wrong  :  He  tried,  but  of  no  avail. 
Right  :  He  tried,  but  to  no  avail. 
Right :  His  attempt  was  of  no  avail. 

Awful.  Means  inspiring  with  awe  ;  as  **The  awful  presence  of  the 
king."  Should  not  be  used  loosely.  Say  not  *' an  awful 
mistake,"  but  *'a  serious  or  disastrous  mistake";  not  **  an 
awful  blunder,"  but  '*  a  ludicrous  blunder"  ;  not  *'  awful  man- 
ners," but  **  uncivil  or  ill-bred  manners";  not  ''awful  treat- 
ment," but  ''discourteous  or  cruel  treatment."  Choose  an 
adjective  that  expresses  your  meaning  definitely. 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS        145 

Badly.     Should  not  be  used  for  a  great  deal  or  very  much. 

Wrong  :  I  want  badly  to  see  you. 
Right ;  I  want  very  much  to  see  you. 

Balance.  Bad  English  when  used  in  the  sense  of  remainder.  (Cf.  Bank 
on,  Take  stock  in,  Endorse.) 

Bad :  One  was  an  Italian;  the  balance  were  Greeks. 
Right :  One  was  an  Italian ;  the  rest  were  Greeks. 

Bank  on,  take  stock  in.  Objectionable  slang  in  the  sense  of  rely  on, 
trust  in,  receive  as  trustworthy,  confidently  expect.  (Cf.  Balance 
and  Endorse.) 

Barn.  Means  a  farm  building  used  for  stonng  grain  or  hay.  Should 
not  be  used  for  stable. 

Beg.  When  used  in  asking  permission  to  do  a  thing,  beg  should 
govern  a  noun, — permission,  leave,  or  some  synonym  of 
these  words. 

Incorrect:  I  beg  to  state.  —  I  beg  to  differ.  —  I   beg   to    be 

absent. 
Right  :  I  beg  leave  to  state. — I  beg  leave  to  differ. —I  beg 

permission  to  be  absent. 

Borrow.    Not  to  be  confused  with  lend. 

Vulgar  :  He  refused  to  borrow  me  his  knife. 
Right  :  He  refused  to  lend  me  his  knife. 
Right  :  I  wanted  to  borrow  his  knife  from  him. 

Bring  forth.  Means  give  birth  to.  Should  not  usually  be  used  for 
bring  forward,  offer,  etc. 

Bunch.     A  vulgarism  for  group  or  party. 

But  that,  or  but  what.     Incorrect  after  doubt. 

Wrong  :  I  had  no  doubt  but  what  he  would  bite. 
Right  :  I  had  no  doubt  that  he  would  bite. 

Calculate.    A  vulgarism  for  think,  suppose,  expect,  or  intend. 

Can.  Denotes  power  or  ability.  Should  not  be  used  to  denote  peiv 
mission. 

Wrong  :  Can  students  hand  in  their  theses  in  manuscript? 
Right  :  May  students  [or  are   students   allowed    to,  or    per- 
mitted to]  hand  in  their  theses  in  manuscript? 

Can't  seem.     See  Seem. 


146  A  GLOSSARY 

Cause.  Complete  such  an  expression  as  the  cause  was  with  a  predi- 
cate noun  or  a  noun  clause.     (8ee  Rule  117  and  Exercise  XLII.) 

Wrong  :  The  cause  of  his  failure  was  on  account  of  his  im- 
prudence. 

Right  :  The  cause  of  his  failure  was  his  imprudence  ;  [or]  .  . . 
was  that  he  was  imprudent. 

• 

Characteristic.  Means  a  distinguishing  quality;  as  "  His  cfiief  char- 
acteristic is  absent-mindedness."  Should  not  be  used  without 
intelligent  regard  to  its  meaning. 

Bad :  One  characteristic  of  my  daily  life  is  climbing  College  Hill. 
Right :  One  incident  of  my  daily  life  is  climbing  College  Hill. 

Charge.  Should  be  combined,  when  it  means  accuse,  not  with  o/,  but 
with  vnth. 

Wrong :  They  charged  him  of  many  crimes. 
Right:  They  charged  him  with  many  crimes. 

Claim.  Means  to  demand  as  due;  as  "  I  claim  the  reward."  In- 
elegant for  assert  or  maintain. 

Climax.  Means  series  of  things  each  of  which  is  in  some  respect 
stronger  than  the  preceding ;  as  "  Then  began  a  climax  of  mis- 
fortunes." Properly  applied  to  the  whole  series,  not  to  the  cul- 
minating member. 

Wrong :  Our  joy  reached  its  climax  when  Father  came. 
Right:   Our  joy  reached  its  culmination  [or  height,  or  acme] 
when  Father  came. 

Coincidence.  Means  the  occurrence  of  two  events  at  the  same  time  or  in 
remarkable  connection  ivith  each  other ;  as  "  My  forgetting  my 
ticket  and  Bob's  appearance  just  then  with  a  ticket  he  didn't 
need,  made  a  lucky  coincidence."  Should  not  be  used  to  des- 
ignate a  single  event. 

Company.  A  vulgarism  for  companion,  guest,  escort,  or  the  plurals  of 
these  words. 

Complected.  A  vulgarism.  (See  Rule  5.) 
Vulgar :  A  light-complected  girl. 
Right :  A  light-complexioned  girl. 

Conclude.     Incorrect  in  the  sense  of  arrive  at  a  determination.     Cor- 
rect   in  the  sense  of  arrive  at  an  opinion  or  belief. 
Right:  I  concluded  that  the  current  was  weak. 
Wrong:  I  concluded  to  strengthen  the  current. 
Right :  I  finally  decided  to  strengthen  the  current. 

Contemplate.     Should  not  be  combined  with  a  preposition. 

Wrong :  He  contemplated  on  [or  over]  a  trip  to  Alaska. 
Right :  He  contemplated  a  trip  to  Alaska. 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS        147 

Contemptible.  Means  worthy  of  being  despised  ;  as  "  He  is  a  contempts 
ible  sneak."  Not  to  be  confused  with  contemptuous^  which 
means  shoioing  scorn  ;  as  "  He  made  a  contemptuous  answer." 

Contemptuous.     See  Contemptible. 

Continual.  Not  synonymous  with  continuous^  according  to  modern 
usage.  Continual  means  occurring  in  close  succession,  frequently 
repeated ;  as  "  Continual  hindrances  discouraged  us,"  "  He 
coughs  continually."  Continuous  means  without  cessation,  con- 
tinuing uninterrupted;  as  "Continuous  opposition  discouraged 
us,"  '*  He  slept  continuously  for  ten  hours."  . 

Continuous.    See  Continual. 

Could  of.     See  Of. 

Couldn't  seem.     See  Seem. 

Crowd.     Not  to  be  used  for  party  or  company. 

Cunning.  Means  artful,  ingenious,  or  giving  evidence  of  art  or  inge- 
nuity;  as  "a  cunning  intriguer,"  "cunning  workmanship." 
Should  not  be  used  for  pretty  or  amusing. 

Cute.  Slang.  Use  pretty,  vivacious,  lively,  amusing,  dainty,  piquant^ 
engaging,  or  some  other  word  in  reputable  use  and  of  definite 
meaning. 

Data,  phenomena,  strata.  Plural,  not  singular  forms.  The  singular 
forms  are  datum  (rarely  used),  phenomenon,  and  stratum. 

Date.    Inelegant  for  engagement  or  appointment. 

Deal  (1).  Should  be  combined  with  with,  not  with  on  or  of,  when  the 
intended  meaning  is  discuss. 

Wrong:  He  deals  on  three  subjects. 
Wrong;  He  deals  of  three  subjects. 
Right:  He  deals  with  three  subjects. 

Deal  (2).     A  vulgarism  for  transaction,  agreement,  or  arrangement. 

Demand.  Means  to  claim  or  call  for  peremptorily.  The  object  of  this 
verb  should  be  the  thing  claimed,  never  the  person  from  whom 
the  thing  is  claimed. 

Wrong:  Japan  demanded  Russia  to  leave  Manchuria. 

Right:  Japan  demanded  that  Russia  leave  Manchuria.     [The 

object  of  "demanded"  is  the  substantive  clause  **  that 

•  .  .  Manchuria."] 

Depot.  Inelegant  as  applied  to  a  building  for  the  accommodation  of 
passengers.     Say  "  station." 

Different.  Should  not  be  completed  by  a  than  clause,  but  always  by 
2^  from  phrase. 


148  A   GLOSSARY 

Wrong :  The  method  is  different  than  the  one  that  formerly  pre 

vailed. 
Right :  The  method  is  different  from  the  one  that  formerly  pre* 

vailed. 

Diner,  sleeper,  smoker.  Not  in  good  use  as  meaning  dining  car,  sleep- 
ing  car,  and  smoking  car. 

Disinterested.  Means  without  self-interest,  unselfish;  as  "the  judge's 
disinterested  performance  of  his  duty,"  Not  to  be  confounded 
with  uninterested. 

Do  away  with.  Hackneyed  and  inelegant.  Saj'  "abolish,"  "discon- 
tinue," or  "  eliminate." 

Done  away  with.    See  Do  away  with. 

-Don't.     A  contraction  of  do  not.     Therefore  ungrammatical  when  used 
with  a  subject  in  the  third  person  singular.     (See  Rule  29.) 
Wrong:  He  don't  know. 
Right :  He  doesn't  know. 

Right:  I  don't  know,  we  don't  know,  you  don't  know,  and  they 
don't  know. 

Dove.     Should  not  be  used  as  the  past  tense  of  dive.     Say  "  dived." 

Down.  A  vulgarism  when  used  as  a  verb.  Say  " subdue,"  "defeat," 
"  obtain  the  advantage  over,"  "  get  the  best  of."     (See  Rule  4.) 

-Due  to.     Should  not  be  used  unless  the  due  modifies  some  noun. 

Wrong :  The  forces  were  divided,  due  to  a  misunderstanding. 
Right :  The  forces  were  divided  through  [or  because  of]  a  mis- 
understanding. 

Each  other.  Often  misused  for  one  another.  Do  not  say  "each 
other"  unless  each  member  of  a  group  is  represented  as  in  a 
certain  relation  to  every  other  member. 

Absurd :  Improvements  in  apparatus  are  rapidly  following  each 
other. 

Right:  Improvements  in  apparatus  are  rapidly  following  one 
another. 

Right :  The  two  brothers  hated  each  other. 

Right :  They  all  agreed  to  stand  by  each  other.  [Each  mem- 
ber of  the  party  agreed  to  stand  by  every  other  member.] 

Eating  house,  eating  place.     Vulgarisms  for  restaurant,  dining  room. 

Effect.     See  Affect. 

Either,  neither.  Correctly  used  to  designate  one  of  two  persons  or 
things,  not  one  of  three  or  more. 

Wrong:    I  asked  Leahy,  Mahoney,  and  McGinty,  but  neither 

of  them  was  willing. 
Right:  I  asked  Leahy,  Mahoney,  and  McGinty,  but  none   of 
them  was  willing  ;  [or]  ...  no  one  of  them  was  willing. 


OF  MISCELLANEOUS  FAULTY  EXPRESSIONS        149 

Elegant.  Means  excelling  in  the  power  to  discriminate  properly  and- 
select  properly^  or  giving  evidence  of  such  excellence;  as  ''an 
elegant  gentleman,"  ''elegant  ornamentation."  Should  not  be 
used  loosely.  Say  not  "an  elegant  view,"  but  a  "beautiful 
view"  ;  not  "an  elegant  game  of  football,"  but  "  an  excellent  or 
a  masterly  game  "  ;  not  "  an  elegant  march,"  but  "  a  spirited  or 
rousing  march"  ;  not  "an  elegant  pie,"  but  "a  delicious  pie." 
Choose  an  adjective  that  expresses  your  meaning  definitely. 

Element.  Means  a  component  part ;  as  "The  elements  of  training  are 
exercise,  diet,  and  regularity."  Should  not  be  used  without  in- 
telligent regard  to  its  meaning. 

Bad :  Next,  the  logs  are  "  driven  "  down  stream.    Great  danger 

besets  the  lumbermen  in  this  elemex^t. 
Right:  Next,  the  logs  are  "driven"  down  stream.      Great 

danger  besets  the  lumbermen  in  this  process. 

Else.  Inelegant:  Somebody's  else  book. 

Right :  Somebody  else's  book. 

Endorse  or  indorse.  Bad  English  when  used  in  the  sense  of  approve. 
(Cf.  the  other  commercial  expressions  "bank  on,"  "take  stock 
in,"  "balance,"  discussed  in  this  Glossary.) 

Bad :  This  statement  is  endorsed  by  eminent  scientists. 

Right  :  This  statement  is  corroborated  by  eminent  scientists. 

Enough.     A  result  complement  limiting  enough  should  have  the  form 
of  an  infinitive,  not  of  a  clause  introduced  by  that  or  so  that. 
Wrong :  It  was  near  enough  that  I  could  touch  it. 
Right :  It  was  near  enough  for  me  to  touch  it. 
Wrong:  There  is  humor  enough  so  that  the  story  isn't  dull. 
Right :  There  is  humor  enough  to  keep  the  story  from  being  dull. 

Enthuse.  A  vulgarism.  The  word  is  unknown  to  good  usage.  (See 
Rule  5.) 

Vulgar :  He  doesn't  enthuse  me. 

Right:  He  doesn't  rouse  any  enthusiasm  in  me. 

Vulgar :  She  never  enthuses. 

Right :  She  never  becomes  enthusiastic. 

Etc.  The  use  of  etc.  is  incongruous  in  a  context  intended  to  be  artistic. 
Use  a  definite  term  in  place  of  etc,  or  else  simply  omit  etc. 

Wrong  :  She  was  more  beautiful,  witty,  virtuous,  etc.,  than 

any  other  lady. 
Right:  She  was  more  beautiful,  witty,  virtuous,  and  loyal  than 

any  other  lady. 
Right :  She  was  more  beautiful,  witty,  and  virtuous  than  any 
other  lady. 
In  any  context,  avoid  the  vague  use  of  etc, ;  use  it  only  to  dispense 
with  useless  repetition  or  to  represent  terms  that  are  entirely 
obvious. 


150  A   GLOSSAKY 

Every  place.    See  Any  place. 

Every  so  often.    A  puerility  for  at  regular  periods  or  intervals. 

Except  (verb)  means  to  exclude;  as  "He  alone  was  excepted  from  the 
amnesty."  Except  (preposition)  means  with  the  exception  (i.e., 
exclusion)  of;  as  "  All's  lost  except  honor."  Except  is  not  to  be 
confused  with  accept^  which  means  to  receive,   (See  Exercise  LXIX.) 

Expect.     Should  not  be  used  for  suppose. 

Factor.  Means  a  force  or  agent  cooperating  ivith  other  forces  or 
agents  to  produce  a  certain  result;  as  "The  factors  of  success 
are  industry  and  perseverance."  Should  not  be  used  without 
intelligent  regard  to  its  meaning. 

Bad:  Being  ducked  in  the  lake  is  au  inevitable  factor  in   the 

freshman's  experience. 
Right:  Being  ducked  in  the  lake  is  an  inevitable  part  of  the 
freshman's  experience. 

Falls,  ways,  woods.    Plurals  not  singulars. 

Wrong :  Go  a  little  ways  down  stream  till  you  come  to  a  falls. 

Beside  it  is  a  woods. 
Right:  Go  a  little  way  down  stream  till  you  come  to  a  fall. 

Beside  it  is  a  wood. 

Feature.  May  be  used  figuratively  to  mean  noticeable  quality  or  char- 
acteristic; as  "The  chief  feature  of  the  scenery  is  its  rugged- 
ness,"  "  A  feature  of  his  style  is  its  vivacity."  Crude  and 
incorrect  when  used  to  designate  an  event. 

Bad :  The  principal  feature  of  the  day  was  a  boat  race. 

Right :  The  principal  occurrence  of  the  day  was  a  boat  race. 

Fine.  A  word  of  rather  indefinite  meaning.  Avoid  the  habitual  loose 
use  of  it;  prefer  a  more  definite  word.  Say  not  '*a  fine  expla- 
nation," but  "a  lucid,  or  clear  explanation"  ;  not  "fine  tools 
for  general  use,"  but  "tools  well  suited  or  adapted  to  general 
use";  not  "a  fine  spring  of  water,"  but  "a  refreshing  or 
delicious  spring"  ;  not  "a  fine  toast-master,"  but  "a  witty  or 
felicitous  toast-master."     Choose  a  word  of  definite  meaning. 

First-rate.     May  be  used  as  an  adjective  but  never  as  an  adverb. 
Right:  It  is  a  first-rate  building. 
Wrong:  He  phiys  tennis  first-rate. 

Right:   He  plays  tennis  very  well;   [or]  He  plays  a  first-rate 
game  of  tennis. 

Firstly.     A  word  unknown  to  good  usage. 

Wrong:  Firstly  .  .  .  Secondly  .  .  .  Thirdly  .  •  . 
Right:  First  .  .  .  Secondly  .  .  .  Thirdly  .  .  . 

Fix  (1).     Slang  ioT plight ^  situation,  or  condition. 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS        151 

Fix  (2).  The  verb  fix  means  attach.  Should  not  be  used  for  repair^ 
arrange^  or  prepare.  The  expression  "fix  up"  used  in  one  of 
these  senses  is  particularly  objectionable. 

Former,  latter.  Properly  used  to  designate  one  of  two  persons  or 
things,  not  one  of  three  or  more.  (Cf.  Either,  neither.)  For 
designating  one  of  three  or  more,  say  "first,"  "first-named," 
"first-mentioned,"  or  "last,"  "last-named,"  "last-mentioned." 

Frighten,  scare.     Vulgarisms  when  used  intransitively. 
Wrong :  Does  the  horse  frighten  easily  ? 
Right :  Is  the  horse  frightened  easily  ? 

Gentleman,  lady.  Terms  properly  used  to  designate  persons  of  refined 
speech  and  manners,  as  distinguished  from  ill-bred  or  uncultivated 
people  ;  the  use  of  them  to  designate  mere  sex  is  a  vulgarism. 

Vulgar:   Saleslady,  business  gentleman,   lady  stenographer. — 

There  are  lady  cab-drivers  in  Paris.  —  There  are  more 

ladies   than  gentlemen  who   play  the   piano.  —  Cornell 

admits  ladies,  but  Williams   admits  only  gentlemen. — 

^  Ladies'  cloak  room. 

Right :  Saleswoman,business  man,  woman  stenographer. — There 

are  woman  cab-drivers  in  Paris.  —  There  are  more  women 

than  men  who  play  the  piano.  —  Cornell  admits  women, 

but  Williams  admits  only  men.  —  Women's  cloak  room. 

The  use  of  man  and  icoman  need  never  be  shunned  ;  even  where 

lady  or  gentleman  may  be  used  correctly,  man  or  woman  is  equally 

polite,  and  is  often  preferable. 

Right:  Is  your  wife  a  Massachusetts  woman?  —  You  are  the 
only  w^man  I  know  who  drives  a  motor.  —  Are  you  the 
man  I  met  last  spring  in  Denver  ? 

Gentleman  friend,  lady  friend.  These  terms,  not  in  themselves  objection- 
able, have,  through  the  use  that  has  been  made  of  them,  become 
ambiguous  and  vulgar.  Prefer  man  friend  (plural :  man  friends) 
or  gentleman  of  one'^s  acquaintance.,  woman  friend  (plural:  wo- 
man frie7ids)  or  lady  of  one'' s  acquaintance.'^ 

Get.  A  provincialism  when  used  with  an  infinitive,  as  in  the  following 
sentence : 

Wrong:  I  didn't  get  to  go  to  the  lecture. 

Right:  I  wasn't  able  to  go  to  the  lecture;  [or]  I  didn't  get  a 
chance  to  go  to  the  lecture. 

Get  up.  An  inelegant  expression  loosely  used  for  organize^  institute., 
compose.,  prepare^  arrange.,  prints  bind^  dress.,  decorate^  or  orna- 
ment.    Choose  the  verb  that  clearly  expresses  what  you  mean. 

Going  on. 

Tautological  and  vulgar :  How  old  is  he  ?    Sixteen,  going  on 

seventeen. 
Right:  How  old  is  he?    Sixteen. 

1  See  Quackenbos's  Practical  Rhetoric,  Chapter  XXI. 


152  A  GLOSSARY 

Got.  Get  means  to  secure  ;  got  should  therefore  not  be  used  unless  the 
Intended  meaning  is  secured^  nor  has  got  unless  the  intended 
meaning  is  has  secured. 

Wrong :  Have  you  got  a  knife  with  you? 

Right:  Have  you  a  knife  with  you? 

Got  up,  gotten  up.     See  Get  up. 
Gotten.     Obsolescent.     Say  "  got." 

Undesirable :  He  has  gotten  his  reward  at  last. 

Right :  He  has  got  his  reward  at  last. 

Grand.  Means  on  a  large  scale,  imposing;  as  ''a  grand  mountain 
range."  Should  not  be  used  loosely.  Say  not ''a  grand  day," 
but  "a  beautiful  or  brilliant  day";  not  "grand  ice-boating," 
but  "excellent  or  exhilarating  ice-boating";  not  "grand  white 
snow,"  but  "beautiful  white  snow"  ;  not  "a  grand  time,"  but 
"an  entertaining  or  delightful  time."  Choose  an  adjective  that 
expresses  your  meaning  definitely. 

Grip.  Should  not  be  used  to  mean  portmanteau  or  hag^  or  to  mean 
cable-car. 

Grip-sack.     A  provincialism  for  traveling  bag  or  portmanteau. 

Guess.  Should  not  be  used  to  express  supposition,  expectation,  or  inten- 
tion.   Say  "think,"  "suppose,"  "expect,"  "mean,"  or  "intend." 

Had  better,  had  best,  had  rather.  Entirely  grammatical  and  fully  ap- 
proved by  good  usage.  Would  better,  iGould  best,  and  icould 
rather  are  not  preferable.  Had  better  is  preferable  to  xoould  bet- 
ter; had  best  and  would  best,  had  rather  and  would  rather  2^i:q 
equally  good. 

Correct  but  undesirable :  You  would  better  not  stay  long. 

Right :  YoQ  had  better  not  stay  long. 

Right :  They  had  best  attempt  no  violence. 

Right ;  I  had  rather  go  than  stay. 

Had  have  or  had  of.  ■  Often  incorrectly  used  for  had. 

Bad:  If  he  had  have  [or  had  of]  tried,  he  would  have  succeeded. 
Right:  If  he  had  tried,  he  would  have  succeeded. 

Have  (1).    A  vulgarism  when  used  as  in  the  following  Wrong  sentences : 

Wrong:  Ira  Fote  had  a  sheep  die  last  week. 
'  Right:  One  of  Ira  Fote's  sheep  died  last  week. 

Wrong :  AVhen  they  saw  the  dead  mother,  each  man  had  a  ten- 
der feeling  spring  up  in  his  heart. 

Right :  When   they  saw  the   dead  mother,  each  felt  a  tender 
feeling  spring  up  in  his  heart. 

Have  (2).     A  juvenile  word  for  study. 

Juvenile :  Did  you  have  German  last  year? 
Right :  Did  you  study  German  last  year  ? 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS  FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS        153 

Have  got.    See  Got. 

Heap,  heaps.     Vulgarisms  for  very  much,  a  great  deal,  a  great  many. 
Hear  to  it.     A  vulgarism.    Say  *'  consent  to  it,"  or  **  allow  it." 
Help  (1).     A  vulgarism  for  a  servant,  servants,  or  employees. 
Help  (2).     Should  not  be  followed  by  but  when  used  in  the  sense  of 
avoid;  should  be  followed  by  a  gerund. 

Wrong :  I  can't  help  but  regret. 

Right:  I  can't  help  regretting. 

Hired  girl.     A  vulgarism  for  maid  or  servant. 

Home.  Should  not  be  used  as  an  adverb  meaning  at  home;  properly 
used  as  an  adverb  expressing  motion. 

Wrong :  He  is  home. 
Right :  He  is  at  home. 
Right :  He  went  home. 

Honorable.      See  Reverend. 

Hopes.  Often  misused  for  hope.  Do  not  use  the  plural  to  designate 
one  hope 

Wrong :  I  wrote  in  hopes  of  acceptance. 

Right :  I  wrote  in  the  hope  of  acceptance. 

Wrong:  In  the  hopes  of  seeing  her,  he  remained  behind. 

Right :  In  the  hope,  etc. 

Hung.   Improper  when  used  in  reference  to  an  execution.    Say  "hanged." 
Wrong :  He  was  found  guilty  and  hung. 
Right:  He  was  found  guilty  and  hanged. 
Right :  We  hung  the  flag  on  the  balcony. 

Hustle.    A  vulgarism  when  used  intransitively  to  mean  hasten,  hurry,  or 
be  energetic  or  industrious.    Correctly  used  with  a  direct  object. 
Wrong :  People  were  hustling  about  in  confusion. 
Right:  People  were  hurrying  about  in  confusion. 
Right :  The  police  hustled  the  loiterers  from  the  hall. 

Le.  Means  that  is;  denotes,  therefore,  that  what  follows  is  equivalent 
to  what  precedes.  Should  not  be  used  when  what  follows  is  not 
equivalent  to  what  precedes,  or  when  that  is  will  not  fit  grammati- 
cally into  the  place  of  i.e. 

Right:  The  act  is  treated  as  a  capital  crime,  —  i.e.,  a  crime  pun- 
ishable by  death.  ["A  crime  punishable  by  death"  is 
equivalent  to  "a  capital  crime";  and  that  is  may  be 
grammatically  substituted  for  ''i.e."] 
Wrong:  I  like  to  read  the  Bible,  i.e.,  some  of  the  stories  in 
the  Old  Testament.  [*'  Some  of  the  stories  in  the  Old 
Testament  "  is  not  equivalent  to  **  the  Bible."] 
Wrong:  I  like  some  parts  of  the  Bible,  i.e.,  the  stories  in  the 
Old  Testament.  [That  is  can  not  be  grammatically  sub- 
stituted for  **  i.e."] 


154  A   GLOSSARY 

Right:  I  like  some  parts  of  the  Bihle,  — namely,  [or  viz.,]  the 
stories  in  the  Old  Testament. 

Right:  He  had  committed  lese-majesty,  —  i.e.,  had  given  an 
affront  to  the  Emperor.  ["Had  .  .  .  Emperor"  is  equiva- 
lent to  "  had  .  .  .  majesty  "  and  that  is  may  properly  be 
substituted  for  "i.e."] 

If.     Not  to  be  used  in  prose  as  a  synonym  of  whether. 

Wrong:  I  don't  know  if  I  can. 
Right :  I  don't  know  whether  I  can. 

Ilk.  An  archaic  adjective  meaning  same.  In  the  expression  of  that 
ilk,  as  correctly  used,  ilk  is  an  adjective  modifying  estate  under- 
stood; "Sir  George  Urquhart  of  that  ilk"  means  Sir  George 
Urquhart  of  that  same  {estate),  —  i.e.,  Sir  George  Urquhart 
of  Urquhart.  The  use  of  ilk  as  a  noun  meaning  kind  is  a 
blunder. 

Wrong:  I'm  not  of  her  ilk,  I'm  glad  to  say. 
Right:  I'm  not  of  her  sort,  I'm  glad  to  say. 

In.     Generally  incorrect  when  used  to  express  motion.     Say  *'  into." 

Wrong:  He  went  in  the  bank. 
Right :  He  went  into  the  bank. 

In  back  of.  In  front  of  is  correct ;  "in  back  of "  is  a  vulgarism.  Say 
"behind." 

In  our  midst.     See  Midst. 

Individual.  Should  not  be  used  indiscriminately  for  person.  Properly 
used  to  mean  individual  person. 

Right :  He  made  a  general  address  to  the  class,  and  also  gave 

special  advice  to  the  individuals  in  the  class. 
Wrong :  He  is  a  tall,  gaunt  individual. 
Right:  He  is  a  tall,  gaunt  fellow  [or  person,  or  man]. 

Indorse.     See  Endorse. 

Indulge.  Means  (a)  to  treat  with  forhearance  ;  as  "  Will  you  indulge 
me  for  a  moment?"  ;  or  (5)  to  put  no  restraint  upon  oneself; 
as  "He  indulges  in  [i.e.,  puts  no  restraint  upon  himself  in 
regard  to]  gambling."  Indulge  in  is  often  misused  ior  practice 
or  engage  in. 

Bad:  Practice  in  surveying  is  indulged  in  in  the  autumn. 
Right:  Practice  in  surveying  is  engaged  in  [or  taken]  in  the 
autumn. 

Inferior.     See  Superior. 

Inside.     Does  not  require  0/ following.     Say  simply  "  inside." 

Right :  They  were  trapped  inside  the  walls. 


OF  MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS         155 

Inside  of.     A  vulgarism  for  within^  in  time  expressions. 

Bad :  It  will  disappear  inside  of  a  week. 
Right :  It  will  disappear  within  a  week. 

Kind,  sort.     Crude  and  incorrect:  I  don't  like  those  kind  [or  those  sort] 
of  photographs. 
Right :  I  don't  like  that  kind  [or  that  sort]  of  photographs. 

Kind  of,  sort  of  (1).  Should  never  be  used  to  modify  verbs  or  adjec- 
tives. Say  "somewhat,"  "somehow,"  *'for  some  reason," 
"  rather,"  or  ''  after  a  fashion." 

Bad:  People  who  kind  of  chill  you  .  .  . 

Right :  People  who  somehow  chill  you  .  .  . 

Bad :  The  man  who  does  nothing  but  study,  gets  sort  of  dull. 

Right :  The  man  who  does  nothing  but  study,  gets  rather  dulL 

Bad :  I  kind  of  felt  my  way  at  first. 

Right:  I  felt  my  way,  after  a  fashion,  at  first. 

Kind  of,  sort  of  (2).    Should  not  be  followed  by  a  or  an. 

Inelegant :  What  kind  of  a  house  is  it  ? 
Right :  What  kind  of  house  is  it  ? 
Inelegant :  It  is  a  sort  of  a  castle. 
Right:  It  is  a  sort  of  castle. 

Lady,  lady  friend.     See  Gentleman  and  Gentleman  friend. 

Latter.     See  Former. 

Lay.  Often  confounded  with  lie.  Remember  that  lay  is  the  causative 
of  lie  ;  i.e.,  to  lay  means  to  cause  to  lie.  Remember  the  princi- 
pal parts  of  each  verb  : 

I  lie  I  lay  I  have  lain. 

I  lay  I  laid  I  have  laid. 

(See  Exercises  I,  II.) 

Leave  go  of.    A  puerility.     Say  *' leave  hold  of"  or  '*let  go." 

Childish :  He  left  go  of  the  rope. 

Right :  He  left  hold  of  the  rope ;  [or]  He  let  go  the  rope. 

Less.    A  vulgarism  for  fewer. 

Wrong:  Less  men  were  hurt  this  year  than  last. 
Right :  Fewer  men  were  hurt  this  year  than  last. 

Liable.  Means  (a)  easily  susceptible;  as  "It  is  liable  to  injury;" 
or  (6)  likely;  as  "It  is  liable  to  be  misunderstood."  But 
NOTE  :  Liable  is  not  properly  used  in  the  sense  of  likely  except 
in  designating  an  injurious  or  undesirable  event  which  may  befall 
a  person  or  thing. 

Wrong :  We  are  liable  to  have  a  clear  day  to-morrow. 
Right :  We  are  likely,  etc. 


156  A   GLOSSARY 

Like.  A  vulgarism  when  used  to  introduce  a  subject  with  a  verb.  Say 
*'as"  or  "as  if."  Like  is  correct  when  followed  by  a  substan- 
tive without  a  verb. 

Vulgar :  He  acted  like  the  rest  did. 
Right :  He  acted  as  the  rest  did. 
Right :  He  acted  like  the  rest. 

Vulgar :  I  felt  like  I  had  done  something  generous. 
Right :  I  felt  as  if  I  had  done  something  generous. 
Right :  I  felt  like  a  philanthropist. 

(See  Exercise  XXVI.) 

Liked.    Should  not  be  compounded  with  would  or  should. 

Bad :  He  would  liked  to  have  gone. 

Right :  He  would  have  liked  to  go.     [See  Rule  53.] 

Line.  The  following  uses  of  line  are  characteristic  of  ill-educated 
writers  and  speakers  : 

(a)  The  loose  use  of  line  in  the  sense  of  kind  or  business,  or 
in  other  senses  for  which  there  are  precise  words. 

Bad :  What  line  of  work  are  you  now  doing  ? 
Right :  What  kind  of  work  are  you  now  doing  ? 

Bad:  I  am  now  engaged  in  the  hardware  line. 
Right :  I  am  now  engaged  in  the  hardware  business. 

(6)  The  use  of  line  shown  in  the  following  Bad  examples  ; 

Bad :  I  like  anything  in  the  card  line. 
Right :  I  like  any  game  of  cards. 

Bad  :  Was  there  anything  in  the  refreshment  line  ? 
Right :  Were  there  any  refreshments  ? 

Bad :  He  said  a  few  things  in  the  advice  line. 
Right :  He  gave  me  a  little  advice ;   [or]   He  said  a  few  things 
by  way  of  advice. 

Bad :  I'm  not  very  good  in  the  walking  line. 
Right :  I'm  not  very  good  at  walking. 

(c)  The  use  of  "along  the  line  of"  or  "in  the  line  of"  for  in 
connection  with,  in  regard  to,  about,  on  the  subject  of,  in  the 
nature  of,  by  way  of,  in,  of 

Bad :  He  was  also   famous  along  the  line  of  literature. 
Right:  He  was  also  famous  in  literature. 

Bad  :  The  dean  said  some  things  along  the  line  of  athletics. 
Right :  The  dean  said  some  things  about  athletics. 

Bad :  We  are  planning  something  in  the  line  of  a  surprise. 
Right :  We  are  planning  something  by  way  of  surprise. 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS         157 

(d)  The  use  of  '*  along  this  or  that  line"  or  "in  this  or  that 
line,"  for  in  or  on  or  in  regard  to  this  or  that  subject,  in  this 
or  that  respect,  of  this  or  that  sort. 

Bad :  Let  me  tell  you  something  along  that  line. 
Right:  Let   me  tell  you   something  in  connection  with   that 
subject. 

Bad :  If  he  is  so  weak  in  physics  and  chemistry,  he  needs  some 

tutoring  along  those  lines. 
Right:  If  he  is  so  weak  in  physics  and  chemistry,  he  needs 

some  tutoring  in  those  subjects. 
Bad  :  I  need  some  tacks.    Have  you  anything  along  that  line  ? 
Right:  I  need  some  tacks.     Have  you' anything  of  that  sort? 

Lines.    A  provincialism  for  reins. 
Loan.    Inelegant  when  used  as  a  verb. 

Inelegant :  He  loaned  me  a  book. 

Right:  He  lent  me  a  book. 

Right :  The  loan  was  a  great  assistance. 

Locate.    A  vulgarism  for  settle.     Correct  when  used  transitively. 
Bad :  He  located  in  Ohio. 
Right:  He  settled  in  Ohio. 
Right:  He  located  his  factory  in  Lima. 

Lose  out,  win  out.     Slang,  not  proper  except  in  connection  with  sports. 

Lovely.  Means  lovable  or  inspiring  love;  as  "  a  lovely  character." 
Should  not  be  used  loosely.  Say  not  "  a  lovely  time,"  but  *'  a 
pleasant  or  delightful*  time  "  ;  not  "a  lovely  drive,"  but  "an 
interesting  or  pleasant  drive"  ;  not  "a  lovely  costume,"  but  "a 
handsome,  or  dainty,  or  rich,  or  striking,  or  elegant  costume." 
Choose  the  adjective  that  expresses  your  meaning  definitely. 

Mad.    Means  insane.    Should  not  be  used  to  mean  angry. 

May  of.     See  Of. 

Mean.  Means  lowly  or  base.  Should  not  be  used  to  mean  cruel, 
vicious,  unkind,  or  ill-tempered. 

Messrs.  ^  The  plural  of  Mr.  Like  Mr.,  Messrs.  should  never  be  used 
without  a  name  or  names  following  it.     (See  Rule  .318.) 

Vulgar :  Messrs.,  will  you  come  in  ?    [To  say  this  is  like  saying, 

''  Mister,  will  you  come  in  ?  "  or  "  Mrs.,  I  have  come."] 
Right :  Gentlemen,  will  you  come  in  ? 
Right :  Messrs.  Zangwill  and  Barrie  met  the  Messrs.  McCarthy. 

Midst.  The  expressions  onr  midst,  your  midst,  and  their  midst  pre- 
ceded by  a  preposition  have  been  so  much  censured  by  critics 
and  have  gathered  so  many  ludicrous  associations,  that,  whether 
or  not  they  are  justifiable,  they  are  best  avoided.      Instead  of 


158  A  GLOSSARY 

**in  our  midst,"  say  *'in  the  midst  of  ns  "  or  "among  us.'* 
Instead  of  *'from  ounnidst,"  say  "from  the  midst  of  us"  or 
"from  among  us."  Or  else,  substitute  for  midst  some  nou» 
such  as  neighboi'hood,  community^  fellowship^  etc. 

Might  of.     See  Of. 

Miss.  Like  Mr.^  Mrs.^  and  3Iessrs.,  Miss^  when  used  as  a  title,  must 
always  be  followed  by  a  name.     (Cf.  Messrs.) 

Vulgar :  My  dear  Miss : 

Right :  My  dear  Madam :  [or]  My  dear  Miss  Smith, 

Most.    A  puerility  for  almost.     (See  Rule  5.) 

Mrs.  The  combination  of  Mrs.  with  a  husband's  title  is  a  vulgarism. 
Mrs.  may  be  followed  only  (1)  by  the  woman's  surname,  (2)  by 
her  husband's  Christian  name  (or  initials)  and  surname,  or  (8)  if 
the  woman  is  a  widow,  by  her  own  Christian  name  and  surname  ; 
the  husband's  title ^  if  stated  at  all,  should  be  put  in  another 
part  of  the  sentence. 

Right:  Mrs.  Bough  ton.     [1] 

Right:  Mrs.  John  C.  Boughton.     [2] 

Right  (for  a  widow) :  Mrs.  Mary  Dole.     [3] 

Vulgar :  Mrs.  Professor  Yates,  Mrs.  Dr.  Fairbanks,  Mrs.  Presi- 
dent Hughes,  Mrs.  Bishop  Ross,  Mrs.  Rev.  Fisher,  Mrs. 
Captain  Johnson. 

Right:  Mrs.  Richard  E.  Yates;  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  wife  of  Dr. 
Fairbanks;  Mrs.  Louisa  Hughes,  widow  of  President 
Hughes;  Mrs.  Jeremiah  Ross;  Mrs.  Noah  Fisher,  Mrs. 
C.  V.  Johnson.  ^ 

Mushroom.    See  ToadstooL 

Must  of.    See  Of. 

MutuaL     Incorrect,  according  to  modern  usage,  in  the  sense  of  shared 

ill  common;  for  this  meaning  the  proper  adjective  is  common. 

Mutual,  properly  used,  means  reciprocal,  interchanged. 

Wrong:  As  we  conversed,  we  found  that  we  had  several  mutual 
friends  in  Portland.  [The  title  of  Dickens's  novel  Onr 
Mutual  Friend  is  a  quotation  from  some  ill-educated  per- 
sons in  the  story ;  it  therefore  furnishes  no  good  argument 
for  the  correctness  of  the  expression  **  mutual  friend."] 

Right:  As  we  conversed,  we  found  that  we  had  several  common 
friends  in  Portland. 

Wrong :  The  two  men  had  a  mutual  interest  in  sculpture. 

Right :  .  .  .  a  common  interest  in  sculpture. 

Right:  They  practiced  mutual  forebearance  and  aid  [i.e.,  each 
one  helped  and  bore  with  the  other].  —  Their  faces  showed 
a  mutual  hatred  [i.e.,  showed  that  each  hated  the  other].  — 
Mutual  friendship  [i.e.,  friendship  interchanged  between 
two  persons].  —  Common  friendship  [i.e.,  friendship  shared 
by  two  persons  for  a  third]. 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS  FAULTY  EXPRESSIONS         159 

Near  by.     Bad  English  when  used  as  an  adjective.     (See  Eule  4.) 

Wrong :  A  near-by  house. 

Right:  A  neighboring,  or  adjacent,  house;  [or]  A  house  that 
stood  near  by. 

Nearly.     Often  misused  for  near. 

Wrong :  He  came  nearly  getting  hurt. 
Right ;  He  came  near  getting  hurt. 

Neither.    See  Either. 

Nice.  Means  keen  and  precise  in  discrimination^  or  delicately  or  pre- 
cisely  made;  as  ''a  nice  judge  of  values,"  "  a  nice  discrimina- 
tion." Should  not  be  used  loosely.  Say  not  *'  a  nice  fellow," 
but  ''  an  agreeable,  or  admirable,  or  conscientious,  or  honorable 
fellow"  ;  not  *'  a  nice  time,"  but  **  a  pleasant  time  "  ;  not  *'  He 
is  nice  to  us,"  but  *'  He  is  kind  or  courteous  to  us."  Choose  the 
adjective  that  expresses  your  meaning  definitely. 

No  good.  A  vulgarism  when  used  adjectively.  Say  "worthless,"  "of 
no  value." 

No  place.    See  Any  place. 

No-use.  Incorrect  when  used  adjectively.  Say  *'  of  no  use,"  ''  of  no 
value,"  or  "  unsuccessful." 

Notorious.  Means  of  had  repute;  as  "a  notorious  gambler."  Not  to 
be  used  ioT  famous  or  celebrated.    ■ 

Not  to  exceed.  Should  not  be  used  except  in  giving  or  quoting  orders 
or  directions.     Often  misused  for  not  more  than. 

Right :  They  were  authorized  to  spend  any  sum,  not  to  exceed 

$500,000.     [See  Rule  271  /.] 
Wrong :  The  trains  are  composed  of  not  to  exceed  twenty  cars. 
Right :  The  trains  are  composed  of  not  more  than  twenty  cars. 

Nowhere  near.     A  vulgarism  for  7iot  nearly. 

Observance.  Means  the  act  of  paying  respect  or  obedience.  Not  to  be 
confused  with  observation,  which  means  the  act  of  inspecting, 
looking  at. 

Right :  The  observance  of  Good  Friday. 

Right :  From  his  observation  of  the  sky,  he  judged  that  a  stornj 
was  approaching. 

Observation.     See  Observance. 

Of.  Could  of  may  of  might  of  must  of  should  of  and  would  of 
are  illiterate  vulgarisms  for  could  have,  may  have,  might  have% 
must  have,  should  have,  and  would  have. 

Of  three  years  old.     See  Old. 


160  A  GLOSSARY 

Off  of.     Incorrect  for  off. 

Wrong :  Keep  off  of  the  grass.  I 

Right ;  Keep  off  the  grass. 

Old.  Illogical:  A  child  of  three  years  old. 

Right;  A  child  of  three  years ;  [or]  A  child  three  years  old. 

On  the  side.     A  vulgarism  for  incidental^  collateral^  occasional^  or  the 
corresponding  adverbs. 

One.    Should  never  be  preceded  immediately  by  a. 

Crude :  Not  a  one  was  hurt. 
Right :  Not  one  of  them  was  hurt. 

Ones.     Avoid  the  crude  expression  **  the  ones."     Say  *' those." 
Crude :  The  ones  who  are  ready  may  come. 
Right:  Those  who  are  ready  may  come. 

Or.     Should  not  be  correlated  with  neither  ;  use  nor. 

Wrong:  Neither  the  long  Arctic  night  or  any  other  cause  •  ,  • 
Right:  Neither  the  long  Arctic  night  nor  any  other  cause  .  .  • 

Other  times.     Sometimes  is  an  adverb;  other  times  is  not.     Say  "at 
other  times."     (See  Rules  4  h  and  92.) 

Ought.     The  combination  of  ought  with  had  is  a  conspicuous  vulgarism 
(See  Exercises  XVI  and  XVII.) 

Wrong:  You  hadn't  ought  to  have  entered. 
Right:  You  ought  not  to  have  entered. 
Wrong:  We  ought  to  send,  had  we  not? 
Right:  We  ought  to  send,  ought  we  not? 

Out  loud.    A  puerility  for  aloud. 

Outside  (1).    Does  not  require  o/ following.    Say  simply  "outside,** 
Right :  Outside  the  barn  the  cattle  were  shivering. 

Outside  (2).     Outside  o/ should  not  be  used  for  aside  from. 
Wrong:  Outside  of  this  mistake,  it  is  very  good. 
Right :  Aside  from  this  mistake,  it  is  very  good. 

Over  with.     Crude.     Say* 'over." 

Crude  :  The  regatta  is  over  with. 
Right  :  The  regatta  is  over. 

Overly.     A  vulgarism.    Say  *' over."     (See  Rule  5.) 
Vulgar:  I  'm  not  overly  anxious. 
Right :  I  'm  not  over-anxious. 

Pair,  set.    Singular,  not  plural,  forms. 

Wrong :  Two  pair  of  gloves  and  three  set  of  chisels. 
Right :  Two  pairs  of  gloves  and  three  sets  of  chisels. 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS        161 

Partake  of.  Means  to  take  a  part  {of  something^  in  common  with  others^ 
to  share  with  others;  as  ''Good  and  evil  alike  partake  of  the 
air  and  the  sunshine,"  "  The  whole  delegation  partook  of  his  hos- 
pitality." The  use  of  partake  o/as  if  it  were  synonymous  with 
eat  is  a  blunder  and  usually  an  affectation.  For  illustration  see 
the  second  Bad  example  under  Rule  21. 

Party.  Means  a  person  or  group  of  persons  taking  part  {in  some 
transaction),     A  vulgarism  when  used  to  mean  simply  ^ersow. 

Right :  The  parties  to  the  marriage  were  both  young. 
Vulgar:  The  party  who  wrote  that  article  must  have  been  a 
scholar. 

Peek.  A  colloquialism  for  peep^  look  slyly ;  not  proper  in  a  formal 
context. 

Per.  Use  per  with  Latin  words,  such  as  annum,  diem,  cent,;  not,  as  a 
rule,  with  English  words. 

Inelegant :  Three  dollars  per  day ;  one  suicide  per  week ;  seven 

robberies  per  month;   ^3200  per  year;   two  deaths  per 

thousand  ;  thirteen  cents  per  gallon. 
Right:  Three  dollars  a  day  [or  per  diem]  ;  one  suicide  a  week; 

seven  robberies  a  month ;  $3200  a  year  [or  per  annum]  ; 

two  deaths  for  every  thousand ;  thirteen  cents  a  gallon. 

Per  cent.  An  adverb -phrase,  not  a  noun.  The  noun  is  percentage, 
(See  Rule  4.) 

Wrong :  A  large  per  cent,  were  Chinese. 

Right :  Twenty  per  cent,  were  Chinese.    [See  Rules  220  6  and 

290]. 
Right :  A  large  percentage  were  Chinese. 

Phase.  Means  appearance  or  aspect;  as  "  That  phase  of  the  question 
I  haven't  considered."  Should  not  be  used  without  intelligent 
regard  to  its  meaning. 

Bad :  I  began  to  indulge  in  all  the  different  phases  of  college 

pleasure. 
Right :  I  began  to  indulge  in  all  the  different  kinds  of  college 

pleasure. 

Phenomena.     See  Data, 

Piano.    Should  not  be  used  to  mean  instruction  in  piano-playing. 

Crude :  She  is  taking  piano. 
Right :  She  is  taking  piano  lessons. 

Piece.  A  provincialism  when  used  in  the  sense  of  distance  or  short 
distance. 

Plan.    Should  not  be  combined  with  on.     Say  simply  "plan." 

Wrong :  We  planned  on  taking  a  walk. 

Eight :  We  planned  taking  a  walk ;  [or]  We  planned  to  take 
a  walk. 


162  A   GLOSSARY 

Plenty  (1).    A  vulgarism  when  used  as  an  adjective.     Say  »*  plentifuL 
(See  Rule  4.) 

Wrong :  Wheat  is  plenty. 
Right:  Wheat  is  plentiful. 
Right :  There  is  plenty  of  wheat. 

Plenty  (2).    Incorrect  when  used  as  an  adverb.     (See  Rule  4.) 
Wrong:  It  is  plenty  good  enough. 
Right;  It  is  quite  good  enough. 

Portray.  Means  to  make  a  picture  of.  Should  not  be  used  in  the  sense 
of  narrate  or  explain. 

Postal.    Inelegant  for  postal  card. 

Posted.    Incorrect  for  informed. 

Wrong :  Keep  me  posted. 

Right:  Keep  me  informed. 

Wrong :  He  is  well  posted  about  politics. 

Right :  He  is  well  informed  about  politics. 

Prefer.  The  thing  above  which  something  is  said  to  be  preferred  should 
be  made  the  object  of  the  preposition  fo,  never  put  into  a  than 
clause. 

Wrong :  I  should  prefer  to  go  there  than  anywhere  else. 

Right :  I  should  prefer  going  there  to  going  anywhere  else. 

Propose.    Means  to  offer.    Should  not  be  used  for  to  purpose  or  to  intend 
Wrong:  I  did  not  propose  to  divulge  the  secret. 
Right :  I  did  not  purpose  [or  intend]  to  divulge  the  secret. 

proposition.  Means  a  thing  proposed  or  the  act  of  proposing  ;  as  *'He 
made  a  proposition  to  sell."  Should  not  be  used  without  intelli- 
gent regard  to  its  meaning.  Avoid  especially  the  use  of  propO" 
sition  for  work  or  task. 

Vulgar:  To  sink  that  shaft  was  a  hard  proposition. 

Right :  To  sink  that  shaft  was  a  hard  piece  of  work. 

Bad:  The  library-buffet  car  is  the  most  comfortable  proposition 

on  wheels. 
Right :  The  library-buffet  car  is  the  most  comfortable  vehicle 
on  wheels. 

Proven.     Not  in  good  use.     Say  "proved." 
Providing.    A  vulgarism  for  provided. 

Right:  I  will  lend  it,  provided  he  agrees  to  take  good  care  of  it 

Put  in.     A  vulgarism  for  spend  or  occupy. 

Wrong :  I  put  in  three  hours  in  trying  to  memorize  It. 
Right:  I  spent  three  hours,  etc. 

Put  in  an  appearance.     A  vulgarism  for  appear. 


OF  MISCELLANEOUS  FAULTY  EXPRESSIONS         163 

Quality.  Means  characteristic  or  trait ;  as  "The  qualities  of  birch  bark 
are  lightness  of  color,  thinness,  and  smoothness."  Should  not  be 
used  without  intelligent  regard  to  its  meaning. 

Bad:  The  social  qualities  of  college  life  are  more  in  evidence  in 

the  winter.     [See  Rule  14.] 
Eight :  The  social  activities  of  college  life  are  more  apparent  in 

the  winter. 

Bad :  He  gives  three  qualities  of  a  business  man :  Have  some- 
thing to  say,  say  it,  and  stop  talking. 

Bight :  He  gives  three  maxims  for  a  business  man :  Have  some- 
thing to  say,  say  it,  and  stop  talkiug. 

Quite.  Means  («)  wholly  ;  as  *'  The  stream  is  now  quite  dried  up  "  ;  or 
(6)  greatly^  very  ;  as  "  We  could  see  it  quite  distinctly."  A  pro- 
vincialism when  used  in  the  sense  of  slightly^  not  very. 

Wrong:  The  room  is  quite  large,  but  not  large  enough  for  any 

one  to  be  comfortable  in. 
Right :  The  room  is  moderately  large,  but  not  large  enough  for 

any  one  to  be  comfortable  in. 

Quite  a  few.    Incorrect  for  a  good  many  or  a  considerable  number. 

Quite  a  little.    Incorrect  for  a  considerable  amount  or  a  good  deal. 

Raise  (1).  A  vulgarism  when  applied  to  human  beings,  in  the  sense  of 
rear^  bring  up. 

Raise  (2).  Often  confounded  with  rise.  Remember  that  raise  is  the 
causative  of  rise^  i.e.,  to  raise  means  to  cause  to  rise.  Therefore 
raise  must  always  have  an  object.  Remember  the  principal 
parts  of  each  verb : 

I  rise        I  rose        I  have  risen. 
I  raise      I  raised     I  have  raised. 
(See  Exercises  III,  IV.) 

Raise  (3).     A  vulgarism  when  used  as  a  noun.     (See  Rule  4.) 

Bad :  He  secured  a  raise  of  salary. 

Right :  He  secured  an  increase  of  salary ;  [or]  His  salary  was 
raised. 

Rarely  ever.  A  vulgarism.  Say  **rarely"  or  ''hardly  ever."  Cf.  Sel- 
dom ever. 

Bad :  He  rarely  ever  smiles. 
Right:  He  rarely  smiles. 
Right :  He  hardly  ever  smiles. 

Real.    A  puerility  for  very,    (See  Rule  4.) 

Childish :  It  is  real  handsome. 
Right:  It  is  very  handsome. 


164  A  GLOSSARY 

Reason.  Dp  not  complete  such  an  expression  as  the  reason  is  with  (a) 
a  because  clause,  (6)  a  because  of  phrase,  (c)  a  due  to  phrase,  of 
(d)  an  on  account  of  phrase  ;  complete  it  with  a  that  clause.  (See 
Rule  117,  and  Exercise  XLII.) 

Illogical :  The  reason  he  was  offended  was  because  they  were 
arrogant. 

Illogical :  The  reason  he  was  offended  was  because  of  their  arro- 
gance. 

Illogical :  The  reason  he  was  offended  was  due  to  their  arro- 
gance. 

Illogical :  The  reason  he  was  offended  was  on  account  of  their 
arrogance. 

Right :  The  reason  he  was  offended  was  that  they  were  arrogant. 

Remember.  The  name  of  the  thing  remembered  should  not  be  preceded 
by  of 

Wrong :  I  remember  of  meeting  him. 
Right ;  I  remember  meeting  him. 

Reverend,  Honorable.  Should  be  preceded  by  the^  and  should  never  be 
followed  immediately  by  a  surname.    (See  Rules  269  and  276.) 

Vulgar :  Rev.  Carter. 

Vulgar :  The  Reverend  Carter. 

Right :  The  Reverend  Mr.  Carter. 
Right :  The  Reverend  Amos  Carter. 
Right :  The  Reverend  Dr.  Temple. 

Rig.    A  provincialism  for  carriage^  ^uggy,  or  wagon. 

Right  away,  right  off.  Not  in  good  use.  Say  ''immediately,'*  •*at 
once,"  or  "  directly." 

Right  off.     See  Right  away. 

Run.     Improper  in  the  sense  of  manage  or  operate.  . 

Said.     See  Say. 

Same  (1).   No  longer  in  good  use  as  a  pronoun. 

Vulgar :  We  will  repair  the  engine  and  ship  same  [or  the  same) 

to  you  next  week. 
Right :  We  will  repair  the  engine  and  ship  it  to  you  next  week. 

Inelegant  :  The  principal  of  the  bonds  was  paid  and  the  same 

canceled.     [See  Rule  90  a.] 
Right :   The  principal  of  the  bonds  was  paid  and  the  bonds 

were  canceled. 

Same  (2),  The  same  as  should  not  be  used  for  in  the  same  way  as  or 
just  as. 

Wrong  :  The  draft  \s  treated  the  same  as  a  check  is  treated. 
Right :  The  draft  is  treated  just  as  a  check  is  treated. 


OF   MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY  EXPRESSIONS         165 

Say.  Should  not  be  used  to  mean  give  orders^  with  an  infinitive  as 
object. 

Crude  :  The  guard  said  to  go  back. 

Right  :  The  guard  ordered  us  [or  told  us]  to  go  back. 

Scare.    See  Frighten. 
School.     Should  not  be  used  for  college. 

Search.     The  phrase  "  in  search  for  "  is  incorrect ;  say  "  in  search  of." 
Right  :  The  lion  goes  in  search  of  sheep. 

Seem.  "  Can't  seem  "  is  a  vulgarism.  Say  "seem  unable,"  or  ''  do  not 
seem  able." 

Seldom  ever.  A  vulgarism.  Say  "seldom"  or  " hardly  ever."  Cf 
Rarely  ever. 

Seldom  or  ever.     A  vulgarism.    Say  *'  seldom  if  ever." 

Selection.  Means  a  thing  selected  ;  as  "  He  played  a  selection  from 
Wagner."     Should  not  be  used  where  there  is  no  idea  of  selecting. 

Bad:  Our  class  prophet  then  read  an  amusing  selection,  in 

which  he  satirized  his  classmates. 
Right  :  Our  class  prophet  then  read  an  amusing  composition 

[or  skit,  or  squib,  or  piece],  in  which,  etc. 

Set  (1).  Often  confounded  with  sit.  Remember  that  set  is  the  causa- 
tive of  sit  ;  i,e. ,  to  set  means  to  cause  to  sit.  Remember  the 
principal  parts  of  each  verb : 

I  sit  I  sat  I  have  sat. 

I  set  I  set  I  have  set. 

The  use  of  set  without  an  object,  as  expressing  mere  rest,  is  a  vul- 
garism ;  say  "sit,"  "stand,"  "lie,"  "rest,"  or  "  is  set."  (See 
Exercises  V-VIII.) 

Wrong  :  The  pole  sets  firmly  in  the  socket. 

Right  :  The  pole  is  set  [or  sits]  firmly  in  the  socket. 

Wrong  :  The  vase  sets  on  the  mantel. 

Right  ;  The  vase  stands  [or  rests]  on  the  mantel. 

Wrong  :  The  boat  sets  lightly  on  the  water. 

Right :  The  boat  lies  [or  rests]  lightly  on  the  water. 

Set  (2).     Set  for  sets  (plural).     See  Pair. 

Shape.    A  vulgarism  when  used  to  mean  manner  or  condition. 

Wrong  :  They  executed  the  maneuvers  in  good  shape. 
Right :  They  executed  the  maneuvers  in  an  expert  manner. 
Wrong  :  He  is  in  good  shape  for  the  debate. 
Right  :  He  is  in  good  condition  [or  thoroughly  prepared]  for 
the  debate. 

Should  of.     See  Of. 

Show  (1).     A  vulgarism  tov  play^  opera,  concert. 


166  A  GLOSSARY 

Show  (2),    A  vulgarism  for  chance  or  promise. 

Vulgar  :  The  freshman  team  had  an  excellent  show  of  winning. 
Right :  The  freshman  team  had  an  excellent  chance  of  winning. 

Show  up.  A  vulgarism  when  used  intransitively  in  the  sense  of  ap* 
pear,  attend,  come,  or  be  present^  and  when  used  transitively  Id 
the  sense  of  show  or  expose. 

Sight.     *' A  sight''  is  a  vulgarism  for  much,  many,  a  great  deal. 

Size.     Never  use  size  as  an  adjective  ;  say  "  sized,"  or  '*  of  size." 

Wrong  :  The  different  size  dies  are  sorted. 
Right  :  The  different  sized  dies  are  sorted. 
"Wrong  :  Any  size  chain  will  do. 
Right  :  A  chain  of  any  size  will  do. 

Size  up.     A  vulgarism  for  estimate,  judge,  pass  upon. 

Sleeper.     See  Diner. 

Smoker.     See  Diner. 

Snap.     See  Vim. 

So  (1).     Should  not  be  used  for  so  that. 

Wrong  :  They  strapped  it  so  it  would  hold. 

Right ;  They  strapped  it  so  that  it  would  hold. 

So  (2),    A  puerility  when  used  alone  to  modify  an  adjective. 

Weak  :  During  the  first  semester  I  was  so  lonely. 
Right :  During  the  first  semester  I  was  very  lonely. 

Some.    A  vulgarism  when  used  as  an  adverb.     (See  Rule  4.) 
Wrong  :  He  is  some  better  to-day. 
Right :  He  is  somewhat  [or  a  little]  better  to-day. 

Some  place.     See  Any  place. 

Sort,    See  Kind. 

Sort  of.     See  Kind  of. 

Specie.  Means  gold  or  silver  money.  Species^  meaning  kind,  has  the 
same  form  in  the  singular  and  the  plural. 

Right :  The  first  species  is  more  valuable  than  the  other  two 
species  are. 

Start.    Often  crudely  used  for  begin. 

Bad  :  Thinking  she  was  dead,  he  started  to  cry. 
Right :  Thinking  she  was  dead,  lie  began  to  cry. 

Started  out.  A  crude  expression  for  set  out,  sel  off,  made  an  excursion 
or  trip,  loent  on  a  walk  or  journey  or  jaunt.  The  verb  start  is 
not  objectionable  as  applied  to  the  beginning  of  a  journey,  but 
the  combination  of  this  verb  with  out  should  be  avoided. 


OF  MISCELLANEOUS  FAULTY  EXPRESSIONS        167 

Stop.  Means  to  cease  or  to  cease  from  motion,  A  vulgarism  when  used 
in  the  sense  of  stay. 

Bad  :  Are  you  stopping  with  friends  ? 
Right :  Are  you  staying  with  friends  ? 

Strata.     See  Data. 

Subject,  topic.  A  subject  or  a  topic  is  a  thing  spoken  about  or  thought 
about ;  the  thing  said  or  thought  should  not  be  called  a  subject 
or  topic.     (See  Rule  117  and  Exercise  XLII.) 

Wrong:  The  topic  of  the  first  paragraph  tells  of  the  French 

war. 
Right :  The  topic  of  the  first  paragraph  is  the  French  war. 
Wrong  :  The  book  is  composed  of  many  interesting  subjects. 
Right:  The  book  deals  with  many  interesting  subjects;    [or] 

The  book  is  composed  of  passages  on  many  interesting 

subjects. 

Such  (1).  When  such  is  completed  by  a  relative  clause,  the  relative  pro- 
noun of  the  clause  should  not  be  who^  which,  or  that;  it  should 
be  as  (see  as  in  a  dictionary). 

Wrong  :  I  will  act  under  such  rules  that  may  be  fixed. 
Right :  I  will  act  under  such  rules  as  may  be  fixed. 
Wrong  :  All  such  persons  present  who  consent  will  rise. 
Right  :  All  such  persons  present  as  consent  will  rise. 

Such  (2).     When  such  is  completed  by  a  result  clause,   this  clause 
should  be  introduced,  not  by  so  that,  but  by  that  alone. 
Wrong  :  There  was  such  a  mist  so  that  we  couldn't  see. 
Right :  There  was  such  a  mist  that  we  couldn't  see. 

Such  (3).     Inaccurate  when  used  with  the  value  of  an  adverb. 

Inaccurate  :  Such  a  good  weapon  had  never  before  been  seen. 
Right  :  So  good  a  weapon  had  never  before  been  seen. 

Sundown.     A  provincialism  for  sunset. 

Sunup.    A  provincialism  for  sunrise. 

Superior,  inferior.  Should  never  be  limited  by  a  than  clause,  but 
always  by  a  to  phrase. 

Wrong  :  It  was  superior  from  every  point  of  view  than  the 

lathe  previously  used. 
Right  :  It  was  superior  from  every  point  of  view  to  the  lathe 

previously  used. 

Swell.    A  vulgarism  when  used   as  an   adjective.     (See  Rule  4.) 

Take.     Should  not  be  used  for  study. 

Juvenile  :  I  took  Spanish  and  chemistry. 
Right :  I  studied  Spanish  and  chemistry. 

Take  in.    A  vulgarism  for  attend  or  go  to. 


168  A  GLOSSARY 

Take  it.    Should  not  be  used  in  introducing  an  example. 

Bad  :  Take  it  in  Wisconsin,  the  old-fashioned  method  of  logging 

is  becoming  extinct. 
Right :  In  Wisconsin,  for  example,  the  old-fashioned   method 

of  logging  is  becoming  extinct. 

Take  stock  in.    See  Bank  on. 

Team.  Means  a  couple  or  group  of  animals  or  persons  ;  as  *'  a  team  of 
horses,"  ."  a  team  of  athletes."  A  provincialism  when  applied  to 
one  animal  or  to  a  vehicle. 

Wrong :  Will  you  ride  in  my  team  ? 

Right :  Will  you  ride  in  my  buggy  [or  carriage,  or  wagon]  ? 

Than,  till,  until.  Often  improperly  used  for  xohen^  as  in  the  following 
Wrong  sentences.     (See  Rule  117.) 

Wrong:  Scarcely  had  he  mounted  the  wagon  than  the  horse 

started. 
Right:  Scarcely  had  he  mounted  the  wagon  when  the  horse 

started. 
Wrong :  We  had  hardly  got  there  and  put  things  in  order  till 

Jenks  came. 
Right :  We  had  hardly  got  there  and  put  things  in  order  when 

Jenks  came. 

That.     Should  not  be  used  as  an  adverb.     (Cf .  This,  and  see  Rule  4.) 
Wrong :  He  went  only  that  far. 
Right :  He  went  only  so  far. 
Wrong:  If  it  is  that  bad,  we  must  retreat. 
Right:  If  it  is  so  bad  [or  so  bad  as  that],  we  must  retreat. 
Wrong:  He  didn't  want  that  much,  did  he? 
Right :  He  didn't  want  so  much  as  that,  did  he? 

That  there.  See  This  here. 
These  here.  See  This  here. 
This.    Should  not  be  used  as  an  adverb.    (Cf.  That,  and  see  Rule  4.) 

Wrong:  This  much  is  certain. 

Right :   Thus  much  is  certain. 

Wrong :  Having  come  this  far  .  .  . 

Right:  Having  come  thus  far  [or  as  far  as  this]  .  .  • 

Wrong:  The  water  hasn't  ever  before  been  this  high. 

Right:  The  water  hasn't  ever  before  been  so  high  as  this. 

This  here,  these  here,  that  there,  those  there.  Gross  vulgarisms.  Say 
"this,"  "these,"  "that,"  or  "those." 

Those  there.    See  This  here. 

Through.     Inelegant   when  used   as   in   the  following  sentence: 

Wrong:  He  is  through  writing. 

Right:  He  has  finished  writing;  [or]  He  has  done  writing. 
Note.  —  Never  say  **zs  finished"  or  "is  done"  in  the  sense  above 
shown. 


OF  MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS        169 

Till  for  when.    See  Than. 

Toadstool.  A  synonym  of  mushroom.  The  common  restriction  of 
mushroom  to  edible  fungi  and  of  toadstool  to  poisonous  ones  is  a 
misuse  of  the  words. 

Wrong:  Is  it  a  mushroom  or  a  toadstool? 

Right :  Is  it  an  edible  mushroom  or  a  poisonous  mushroom  ?  [or] 
Is  it  an  edible  or  a  poisonous  toadstool  ? 

Too,  very.     Neither  of  these  words  should  immediately  precede  a  past 
participle  ;  say  *'  too  much,"  "  very  much." 
Wrong :  He  is  too  exhausted  to  speak. 
Right :  He  is  too  much  exhausted  to  speak. 
Wrong:  He  felt  very  insulted. 
Right :  He  felt  very  much  insulted. 

Topic.     See  Subject. 

Transpire.     Means  ^o  become  known;  as  "In  spite  of  their  efforts  at 
concealment,  the  secret  transpired."    It  is  both  affected  and  in- 
correct to  use  the  word  in  the  sense  of  occur. 
Treat.     Should  be  followed,  when  used  to  mean  discuss  or  speak  of,  by 
of,  not  by  on  or  with. 

Wrong:  The  author  treats  on  two  subjects. 
Right :  The  author  treats  of  two  subjects. 

Trend.     Means  direction ;  as  "The  rivers  of  this  land  have  a  southern 

trend."    Should  not  be  used  without  regard  to  its  proper  meaning. 

Bad :  The  egg  business  is  only  incidental  to  the  general  trend 

of  the  store. 
Right :  The  egg  business  is  only  incidental  to  the  general  busi- 
ness of  the  store. 

Try  and.     Should  not  be  used  for  try  to. 

Inelegant :  I  shall  try  and  get  a  good  position. 
Right :  I  shall  try  to  get  a  good  position. 

Ugly.  Means  repulsive  to  the  eye.  A  provincialism  when  used  to  mean 
vicious,  malicious,  or  ill-tempered. 

Bad  :  The  horse  has  an  ugly  temper. 

Right :  The  horse  has  a  vicious  temper. 

Bad :  The  conductor  acted  very  ugly. 

Right:  The  conductor  acted  very  discourteously  [or  uncivilly]. 

Underhanded.    Prefer  underhand. 

Right :  He  used  underhand  methods. 
Until  for  when.     See  Than. 

Up.  Should  not  be  appended  to  the  verbs  cripple,  divide,  end,  finish, 
limber,  open,  polish,   rest,   scratch,   settle,  write. 

Wrong:  He  opened  up  the  box  and  divided  the  money  up  among 

the  men. 
Right :  He  opened  the  box  and  divided  the  money  among  the  men. 


170  A   GLOSSARY 

Up  to  date.     A  vulgarism  when  used  as  an  adjective  ;  correctly  used  as 
an  adverbial  modifier. 

Vulgar :  His  house  is  strictly  up  to  date. 
Right :  His  house  is  thoroughly  modern. 
Right;  He  brought  the  history  up  to  date. 

Very  with  past  participles.     See  Too. 

Vim,  snap.   Not  in  good  literary  use.   Say  "vigor,"  "energy,"  or  "spirit," 

Violin.     Should  not  be  used  to  mean  instruction  in  violin  playing. 

Crude:  He  has  just  begun  violin. 

Right:  He  has  just  begun  to  take  violin  lessons. 

Vocal,  voice.     Should  not  be  used  to  mean  instruction  in  vocal  music. 
(See  Rule  4.) 

Crude:  Are  you  keeping  on  with  your  vocal? 

Right :  Are  you  keeping  on  with  your  singing  lessons  [or  vocal 

practice]  ? 
Crude :  She  is  taking  voice. 
Right :  She  is  taking  singing  lessons. 

Voice.     See  Vocal. 

Wait  on.    A  vulgarism  for  wait  for, 

AVrong:  If  I'm  not  there,  don't  wait  on  me. 
Right :  If  I'm  not  there,  don't  wait  for  me. 

Want  (1).    Should  not  be  limited  by  a  clause  as  in  the  following  sentence : 
Wrong :  I  want  you  should  be  happy. 
Right :  I  want  you  to  be  happy. 

Want  (2).   "  Want  in,"  "  want  out,"  "  want  through,"  etc.,  are  vulgarisms. 
Vulgar :  Do  you  want  in  ? 
Right :  Do  you  want  to  come  in  ? 

Way  (1).     A  puerility  for  away.     (See  Rule  5.) 

Wrong :  Way  up  the  hill  I  saw  a  deer. 

Right :  Away  up  the  hill  I  saw  a  deer. 
Way  (2).     Should  not  be  used  adverbially  without  a  preposition  gov- 
erning  it. 

Wrong :  When  he  acts  that  way  .  •  . 

Right :  When  he  acts  in  that  way  .  .  • 

Wrong :  How  could  a  sane  man  act  the  way  Reals  did  ? 

Right :  How  could  a  sane  man  act  in  the  way  in  which  Beals 
acted  ?  [or,  better]  .  .  .  act  as  Beals  did  ? 

Ways  for  way.     See  Falls. 

Well.     This  word  when  used  merely  to  mark  a  transition  (e..^.,  *'You 
know  MacDonald,  of  course.    Well,  last  night  as  he  stepped  into  his 
motor.  .  .")  is  a  colloquialism,  not  proper  in  a  formal  context. 
When.     Often  improperly  used  for  that  in  sentences  like  the  following 
(see  Rule  117)  : 

Wrong :  It  was  on  a  rainy  day  in  April  when  I  first  saw  Chicago. 
Right :  It  was  on  a  rainy  day  in  April  that  I  first  saw  Chicago. 
[**  That  I  first  saw  Chicago  "  is  a  substantive  clause  in  ap- 
position to  "  it."] 


OF  MISCELLANEOUS   FAULTY   EXPRESSIONS         171 

Where  (1).     Often  misused  for  that  as  in  the  following  sentence: 

Wrong :  I  see  in  this  morning's  paper  where  Cronin  has  been 

caught. 
Right :  I  see  in  this  morning's  paper  that  Cronin  has  been  caught. 

Where  (2).   Do  not  use  *'  where  to  "  in  the  sense  of  whither  ;  omit  the  to. 
Wrong :  Where  are  you  going  to  ? 
Right:  Where  are  you  going? 

Which.    Should  not  be  used  as  a  relative  pronoun  in  referring  to  a  person. 
Wrong :  The  people  which  do  that  are  rascals. 
Right :  The  people  that  do  that  are  rascals. 

While.  Means  (a)  during  the  time  in  which,  (b)  though,  or  (c)  whereas; 
as  (a)  *'I  played  while  he  sang ;  "  (&)  **  While  this  may  be 
true,  it  does  not  content  me  ;"  (c)  ''Yours  is  in  good  condition, 
while  mine  is  quite  worn  out."  Should  not  be  used  loosely  with- 
out regard  to  its  meaning. 

Wrong:  On^ne  side  was  a  grove,  while  on  the  other  was  a  river. 
Right :  On  one  side  was  a  grove,  on  the  other  a  river. 

Who.    Should  not,  as  a  rule,   be  used  in  referring  to   animals ;    use 

which. 
Whose.    The  possessive  case  of  who^  not  of  which.     Objectionable  when 

it  refers  to   inanimate   things.     Say  "  of  which,"  unless  the  use 

of  this  expression  makes  the  sentence  extremely   awkward-^ 

which  is  rarely  the  case. 

Crude:  Soon  we  came  to  a  swamp,  on  whose  bank  stood  a 

hunter's  cabin. 
Right :  Soon  we  came  to  a  swamp,  on  the  bank  of  which  stood 

a  hunter's  cabin. 

Win  out.     See  Lose  out. 

Wire.   Rather  vulgar  in  the  sense  of  telegraph  or  telegram,   (See  Rule  4.) 

Woods  for  wood.     See  Falls. 

Would  better,  would  best,  would  rather.  Correct,  but  often  used  under 
a  misapprehension.     See  Had  better. 

Would  have.     Often  incorrectly  used  in  if  clauses  instead  of  had. 

Wrong:  If  he  would  have  stood  by  us,  we  might  have  won. 
Right :  If  he  had  stood  by  us,  we  might  have  won. 

Would  of.    See  Of. 

Write  up.  A  vulgarism.  Say  "report,"  "relate,"  "describe,"  or 
simply  "  write." 

You  was.  A  vulgarism.  Fow,  though  it  may  designate  one  person,  is 
grammatically  plural,  and  its  verb  must  always  be  plural.  Say 
"  you  were."     (See  Exercise  XVIII.) 


APPENDIX  A 

Exercises  for  Breaking  Certain  Bad  Habits  in  Writing 
and  Speaking 

Exercises  chiefly  in  Grammar 

I.  See  Lay  in  the  Glossary.    Write  three  sentences  con-   Lay  and 
taining  present  indicative  forms  of  the  verb  lie   (in  the   lie 
sense  of  recline)^   three  containing  the  present  participle, 

three  containing  past  tense  forms,  and  three  cojitaining  per- 
fect tense  forms.  Write  three  sentences  containing  present 
indicative  forms  of  the  verb  lay^  three  containing  the  pres- 
ent participle,  three  containing  past  tense  forms,  and  three 
containing  perfect  tense  forms. 

II.  See  Lay  in  the  Glossary.     Write  the  follovsring  sen-   Lay  and 
tences,  filling  each  blank  w^ith  some  form  of  the  verb  lie  or   ^^e 
some  form  of  the  verb  lay  :  1.  The  logs  are ing  where 

they  fell.     2.  Yesterday  I it  on  the  grass.     3.   I  will 

down  and  rest.  4.  They still  and  said  noth- 
ing.    5.  Inmates  are  not  allowed  to in  bed  after  six 

o'clock.    6.  They  let  the  torpedo on  the  railroad. 

7.   I  have all  his  things  in  readiness.     8.   The  scythe 

in  the  rain  so  long  that  it  got  rusty.     9.   ing 

quietly  in  the  grass,   he  watched.     10.   Have  they 

their  wet  hats  on  the  parlor  table  ?  11.  Coming  from  Flor- 
ida, I  was  surprised  to  find  the  snow  still ing  on  the 

ground. 

III.  See  Baise  in  the  Glossary.     Write  three  sentences   Raise  and 
containing  present  indicative  forms  of  the  verb  me,  three    rise 
containing  the  present  participle,  three  containing  past  tense 

forms.  Write  three  sentences  containing  present  indicative 
forms  of  the  verb  raise^  three  containing  the  present  parti- 
ciple, three  containing  past  tense  forms,  and  three  contain- 
ing perfect  tense  forms. 

IV.  See  Baise  in  the  Glossary.    Write  the  following  sen-   Baise  and 
tences,  filling  each  blank  with  some  form  of  the  verb  raise   ^se 

or  some  form  of  the  verb  rise  :  1.  Don't  be  embarrassed ; 

up  and  speak.    2.   A  man  suddenly up  and 

interrupted.     3.     I  will up  and  deny  it  publicly. 

173 


174 


APPENDIX  A 


Set  and 
sit 


Set  and 
sit 


Set 


4.    Slowly  the  load  yielded  to  the  upward  force ;  and  little 

by  little  it until  it  reached  the  desired  point.    6.  It  was 

too  late ;  the  balloon  had  already ten  feet.     6.   Has 

the  river at  all  during  the  night  ? 

V.  See  Set  in  the  Glossary.  Write  three  sentences  con- 
taining present  indicative  forms  of  the  verb  set^  three  con- 
taining the  present  participle,  three  containing  past  tense 
forms,  and  three  containing  perfect  tense  forms.  Write 
three  sentences  containing  present  indicative  forms  of  the 
verb  sit,  three  containing  the  present  participle,  three  con- 
taining past  tense  forms,  and  three  containing  perfect  tense 
forms. 

VI.  See  Set  in  the  Glossary.  Write  the  following  sen- 
tences, filling  each  blank  with  some  form  of  the  verb  set  or 

some  form  of  the  verb  sit:  1.   The  ink-well  doesn't 

level,     2.   I  enjoy in  the  dark.    3.   How  long  we  had 

there  I  do  not  know.     4.    He  brought  the  little  girl 

in  his  arms  and  — 


Lay,  lie, 
raise,  rise, 
set,  and 
sit 

Done  and 
seen 


■  her  in  a  chair  by  the  fire. 


VII.  Comment  on  the  use  of  set  in  each  of  the  following 
sentences,  correcting  all  errors  :  1.  Around  the  table  set 
four  chairs.  2.  She  left  the  umbrella  setting  against  the 
chair.  3.  You  have  set  a  hard  task.  4.  He  saw  the  pie 
setting  on  the  doorstep.  5.  With  the  spirit  level,  he  made 
the  table  set  exactly  horizontal.  6.  Did  you  notice  the 
order  in  which  the  cups  were  set  ?  7.  Ready  ;  get  set ;  go. 
8.  The  bluffs  appear  to  set  back  some  distance  from  the 
shore. 

VIII.  See  Lay,  Baise,  and  Set  in  the  Glossary.  Write 
a  short  story  about  a  balloon  ascension,  using  the  words  lie^ 
lying,  lay,  lain,  laying,  laid,  rise,  rising,  rose,  risen,  raise, 
raising,  raised,  sit,  sitting,  sat,  set,  and  setting. 

IX.  Remember  the  principal  parts  of  do  and  see. 


I  do 

I  see 


I  did 
I  saw 


I  have  done 
I  have  seen 


Write  five  sentences  each  containing  past  tense  forms  of 
the  verbs  do  and  see,  and  five  sentences  each  containing 
done  and  seen  properly  used. 

Write  the  following  sentences,  filling  the  blanks  with  did  or 

saw:     1.  I the  damage  that  the  fire 2.  There 

we a  magician,  who some  tricks.    3.   I 

my  duty  and  I it.      4.    He the  work  with  his 


own  hands  ;  I  - 

do  harm,  and  so  she  ■ 


-  him  do  it.     5.   She  - 


-  that  it  would 


.  all  she  could  to  stop  it. 


APPENDIX  A  175 

X.    Remember  the  principal  parts  of  write^  rise,  ride,  and    Write, 

drive :  ^}'^'  '*^^«» 

drive 


I  write 

I  wrote 

I  have  written 

I  rise 

I  rose 

I  have  risen 

I  ride 

I  rode 

I  have  ridden 

I  drive 

I  drove 

I  have  driven 

Write  sentences  containing  perfect  tense  forms  and  past- 
perfect  tense  forms  of  write,  rise,  ride,  and  drive. 

XI.  Remember  the  principal  parts  of  the  verb  run  :  Hun  mis- 

used for 
I  run  I  ran  I  have  run  ran 

Write  five  sentences  containing  the  verb  run  in  the  past 
tense,  and  five  containing  the  form  run,  properly  used. 

XII.  Notice  the  relation  between  the  past  tense  and  the   Began, 
perfect  tense  of  the  following  verbs  :.  sang, 

1  began  I  have  begun  rang 

drank, 
ran, 
swam 


1  sang 

I  have  sung 

I  sprang 

I  have  sprung 

I  rang 

I  have  rung 

I  drank 

I  have  drunk 

I  ran 

I  have  run 

I  swam 

I  have  swum 

Write  sentences  containing  perfect  tense  forms  and  past- 
perfect  tense  forms  of  the  foregoing  verbs. 

XIII.   Notice  the  relation  between  the  past  tense  and  the   Broke, 
perfect  tense  of  the  following  verbs  :  froze, 

tore 


I  broke 

I  have  broken 

I  froze 

I  have  frozen 

I  tore 

I  have  torn 

Write  sentences  containing  perfect  active,  past-perfect 
active,  and  passive  forms  of  the  foregoing  verbs. 

XIV.  Remember  the  principal  parts  of  know,  throw,  and   Know, 
blow  :  throw, 

1  know  I  knew  I  have  known  blow 

I  throw  I  threw  I  have  thrown 

I  blow  I  blew  I  have  blown 

Write  sentences  containing  past  tense  forms  and  perfect 
tense  forms  of  the  foregoing  verbs. 

XV.  Remember  the  principal  parts  of  the  verb  go :  Went  for 

gone 
I  go  I  went  I  have  gone 

Write  ten  sentences  using  perfect  tense  forms  of  this  verb. 

XVI.  See    Ought  in  the  Glossary.     The  following  sen-    "Had 
tences   are  grossly  incorrect.     Correct  and  rewrite  them,   ought" 


176 


APPENDIX   A 


1.  He  hadn't  ought  to  refuse.  2.  I'd  ought  to  accept, 
hadn't  I  ?  3.  Don't  you  think  she'd  ought  to  have  gone  ? 
4.  No  man  had  ought  to  endure  that,  had  he  ?  5.  If  that 
house  was  empty,  then  he  had  ought  to  have  gone  to  the 
next.  6.  We  really  ought  to  help  him  —  don't  you  think 
we  had  ? 

"  Had  XVII.     See  Ought  in  the  Glossary.     Write  ten  sentences 

ought"         using  ow^/i^  correctly,  five  of  them  stating  present  duties, 
and  five,  past  duties. 


"You 
was" 


Agree- 
ment of 
verb  and 
subject 


Concord  of 
each, 
every,  etc. 


XVIII.  See  You  was  in  the  Glossary.  Write  the  fol- 
lowing sentences,  filling  in  the  blanks  with  were  :     1.   Where 

you,  Harry.     2.    I  thought  you lyhig  down. 

3.  You n't  to  blame,  my  boy.  4.  you  pres- 
ent, Father  ?    5.    When  — r you  born,  young  man  ? 

XIX.  Study  Rule  29.  Write  the  following  sentences, 
filling  the  blanks  in  each  sentence  with  one  of  the  words 
bracketed  after  the  sentence.  In  parentheses  after  each 
sentence,  state  the  reason  why  the  word  chosen  to  fill  the 
blank  ought  to  be  used.     1.    The  formal  statement  of  the 

teachings   and    rules set  forth  in   the  constitution. 

[is,  are]     2.    The  distinction  between  economic  and  social 

causes  often arbitrary,     [seems,  seem]     3.    In  my 

opinion  his  attentions  to  the  postmaster's  daughter,  after 
she  had  shown  him  she  did  not  like  him, very  pre- 
sumptuous, [was,  were]  4.  The  strain  of  all  the  diffi- 
culties and  vexations   and  anxieties more  than  he 

could  bear,  [was,  were]  5.  Only  a  few  papers  of  this 
edition,  which  is  printed  at  two  p.m., to  the  news- 
dealers, [goes,  go]  6.  In  spite  of  all  obstacles,  the  con- 
struction of  the  three  hundred  trestles  and  the  twenty 
scaffolds completed,  [was,  were]  7.  His  manipu- 
lation of  the  keys,  stops,  and  pedals miraculous  to  a 

novice,     [look,  looks]     8.    One  of  the  arguments  he  made 

to  the  delegates to  me  especially  convincing,     [seem, 

seems]    9.    The  exact  meaning  of  such  words  as  inspiration^ 

prophecy^  and  orthodox  at  first the  laymen,     [puzzle, 

puzzles]     10.   His  diligent  study  of  explosives,  especially  of 

such  as  might  be  used  to  destroy  battleships, at  last 

rewarded,  [were,  was]  11.  The  manner  in  which  he  uses 
mixed  metaphors,  split  infinitives,  and  dangling  participles 

lack  of  training,     [show,  shows]     12.   His  use  of  the 

various  machines,  especially  of  the  lathes,  the  presses,  and 
the  forges, him  a  born  mechanic,     [prove,  proves] 

XX.  Study  Rules  31,  32.  Copy  the  following  sentences, 
filling  each  of  the  blanks  with  a  pronoun  or  with  one  of  the 


APPENDIX  A 


177 


words  is,  are,  was,  were,  has,  and  have:    1.    Each  of  the 

conspirators  went  quietly  to own  home  and  not  one 

of  them suspected  by  neighbors  or  by  the 

police.     2.   Every  one  there  declared in  favor  of  the 

measure.     3.  It  makes  no  difference  whether  it  was  Tracy 

or  Reid  ;  neither  of  those  men '■■  worthy  to  raise 

eyes  to  my  daughter.     4.    A  person  never  feels  sure  that 

themes  will   be   charitably   read  by  either  of  those 

professors  ;  either  one  of  them likely  to  be  severe. 

6.   No  one  had  any  idea  what fate  would  be  ;  every 

student  from  the  best  to  the  poorest in  anxious  sus- 
pense.    6.  either  of  the  boys  at  home  ?    7.   


everv  one  here  received 


money?    8. 


each  of 

promises?     9. 

•  tools  ? 


you  fully  determined  to  abide  by 

neither  of   my  assistants  yet  brought  - 

10.   Everybody  put  on holiday  clothes.     11.   If  any- 
body makes  a  motion  to  resist,  arrest at  once. 

XXI.  Study  Rules  33-36,  particularly   Rule  33  a.    Write  Nomina- 
the  following  sentences,  filling  each  blank  with  who  or  whom,  tive  or 
State  in  parentheses  after  each  sentence  the  construction  of  objective 

the  word  inserted.     1.   They  sent  invitations  to  all ^^^®  ^^ 

they  thought  would   accept.     2.    This   money  comes  from  '^"'^ 

Boyle, you  know  is  very  liberal.    3.    He  refused  to 

pardon  Mackey, he  had  every  reason  to  believe  the 

police  had  caught  red-handed.    4.  The  bookkeeper, , 

I  cannot  doubt,  committed  these  errors,  must  be  discharged. 

6.  The  vacancy  was  filled  by  Clayson, the  manager 

said  ought  to  be  promoted.     6.  The  vacancy  was  filled  by 
Clayson the  manager  thought  worthy  of  promotion. 

7.  An  instance  is  furnished  by  Saint  Paul, ,  the  New 

Testament  tells  us,  was  at  first  an  opponent  of  Christianity. 

8.  The  throne  was  held  by  a  king historians  believe 

to  have  been  insane.    9.  The  throne  was  held  by  a  king 

historians  say  was  insane.     10.   did  he  say 

the  architect  was  ?     11.   did  he  say  the  board  chose 

as  architect?    12. 

13.  — 

consider  to  be  the  fastest  runner  ?     15. 

is  the  fastest  runner  ? 

XXII.  Study    Rules    33-36,    particularly    Rule    33  b.  Nomina- 
Write  the  following  sentences,  filling  the  blank  in  each  with  tive  or 
one  of  the  words  bracketed  after  the  sentence.     State  in  objective 
parentheses  after  each  sentence  the  construction  of  the  in-  case  of 

serted   word.     1.    He  stopped  he   met.     [whoever,  ^^^  ^^ 

whomever]      2.    It  will   greatly   assist lives  in   the  ^'^^^^^^ 

country,     [whoever,  whomever]     3.   brings  me  the 


do  you  believe  this  impostor  to  be  ? 

do  you  think  will  preside  ?     14.  do  you 

—  do  you  think 


178 


APPENDIX   A 


Elliptical 
than  and 
as  clauses 


General 
exercise  in 
the  use  of 


cup  I  will  make  my  son-in-law.  [whoever,  whomever] 
4.  For loves  his  country  I  have  a  message,  [who- 
ever, whomever]     5.    Even  food  and  shelter  are  withheld 

from   the   pope   has    excommunicated,     [whoever, 

whomever]     6.   Every  door  is  shut  against the  count 


[whoever,  whomever] 

should  steer,     [who, 

the  speaker 

about 


has  said  is  objectionable  to  him 

7.   A  discussion  followed  as  to 

whom]     8.    There   was  no  doubt  as  to 

meant,      [who,     whom]     9.    They    were    anxious 

the  victim  would  be.     [who,  whom] 

XXIII.  Study  Eules  33-38,  particularly  Eule  38.  Write 
the  following  sentences,  filling  each  blank  with  one  of  the 
words  bracketed  after  the  blank.  State  in  parentheses 
after  each  sentence  the  construction  of  the  inserted  words. 

1.   She  is  not  so  clever  as [he,  him].     2.   She  hated 

both  of [we  fellows,  us  fellows],  but [I,  mej 

more  than [he,  him].     3.   Are  they  better  qualified 

than [we,  us]  to  judge  ?    4.  No  one  could  regret  it  more 

than [I,  me].     6.    She  is  so  deceitful  that  I  would 

trust  a  convict  sooner  than [she,  her].    6.    O  king, 

no  man  is  so  wise  as [thee,  thou],     7.     Her  hasty 

action  injured  herself  more  than [I,  me].     8.    The 


faculty  suffered  more  than  • 


[we,  us]   who  were  ex- 


pelled. 9.  The  conspirators  plotted  shrewdly,  but  the  de- 
tective was  shrewder  than [they,  them],     10.  For  a 

brief  time  no  one  was  so  famous  as [I,  me].    11.    My 

lord,   thy  power  wanes ;   the    king  favors  thy  rival  more 

than  — [thou,  thee].     12.  Though  the  queen  prqtested, 

the  statesman,  stronger  than [her,  she],  prevailed. 

13.    Sir,  we  are  less  worthy  than [they,  them]  ;  we 

ask  that  they  be   promoted   rather  than [we,  us]  ; 

honor  them  rather  than [we,  us], 

XXIV.  Study  Rules  33-38.  Write  the  following  sen- 
tences, filling  each  blank  with  one  of  the  words  or  groups  of 
words  bracketed  after  the  blank.  State  in  parentheses  after 
each  sentence  the  construction  of  the  inserted  word  or 
words.     1.    She  prepared  a  lunch  for  my  brother  and  ' 

[I,  me]   to  take  with  us.    2.   All [us,  we]   fellows 

met  to  consider  the  question  of [who,  whom]  should 

be  sent.  [What  is  the  subject  of  ''  should  be  sent "  ?  What 
is  the  object  of  the  preposition  "of"?  See  Substantive 
Clause  in  the  Granmiatical  Vocabulary.]     3.  It  is  a  question 

of  veracity  between  [he,  him]  and  [I,  me.] 

4.   She  did  not  refer  to  • 
is  unjust  to  expect  • 


[we,  us]  girls  at  all.     5.    It 
[she  and  I ;  her  and  me]  to  do 
all  the  work.    6.    Henceforth  all  is  over  between  you  and 


APPENDIX  A 


179 


[I,  me].     7.   That  was  ■ 


[I,  me]  . 


•  [who, 


whom]  "you  heard  last  night.     8.   It  is  not [us,  we] 

who  are  to  blame  ;  it  is [they,  them].     9.   I  am  at 

a  loss [who,  whom]  to  depend  on.     10.    Was  this  my 

old  comrade  ?    I  could  not  believe  that  this  ragged  beggar 

was [he,  him].     11.   First  he  spoke  of  Jezebel  and 

Athaliah  ; [them,  they]  he  said  were  types  of  deprav- 
ity.    Then  he  considered  Jael  and  Miriam  ; [them, 

they]  he  apostrophized  as  patriots.  12.  To  you  English- 
men as  well  as  to [we  Americans ;  us  Americans] 

his  name  is  dear.    13.   Hetherington  and  I  thought  it  was 

necessary  that  the  messengers  chosen  should  be [us, 

we]  rather  than [them,  they]  who  were  secret  trai- 
tors.    14.   The  cause  so  dear  to  you   and  [me,  I] 

has  failed.     15.   All  the  responsibility   rests  on  Jane  and 

[I,  me].     10.    He  wanted [my  father  and  I ; 

my  father  and  me]  to  invest  in  a  corporation  managed  by 

[he  and  his  father  ;  him  and  his  father].     17.   

[him,  he]  and  all  his  associates  I  repudiate.     18.    A   large 

estate  was  left  to [she  and  her  sister ;  her  and  her 

sister].     19.   You  ought  not  to  be  burdened  with [he 

and  his  family  ;  him  and  his  family].  20.  Do  I  know  Ray- 
croft  ?     Why,  I  used  to  visit [he  and  his  wife  ;  him 

and  his  wife]  every  Sunday.  21.  The  landlord  was  in- 
exorable with   the  poor  widow  ;  he  drove [she  and 

her  children ;  her  and  her  children]  into  the  street. 
22.  Let [he  that  is  without  sin  ;  him  that  is  with- 
out sin]  cast  the  first  stone.  23.  [they  that  are  neg- 
ligent ;  them  that  are  negligent]   he   admonishes ;  

[they  that  are  faithful ;  them  that  are  faithful]  are  com« 
mended. 

XXV.  Study  Rule  4.     Write  the  following  sentences,  fill- 
ing the  blanks  with  adverbs  :  1.  Do  it  as as  you  can. 

2.    He  managed  it  very .    3.   She  stitched  much 

than  I.     4.  You'd  better  treat  me than  you  treated 

him.     6.   The  house  was  furnished  as as  one  could 

wish. 

XXVI.  See  Like  in  the  Glossary.     Complete  the  follow- 
ing sentences:  1.    I  wish   I  could  run   like .     2.   If 

you  find  him  engaged  at  his  gymnastics,  like .    3.   She 

sat  for  a  long  time  deep  in  thought,  like . 

Copy  the  following  sentences,  filling  the  blanks  with  as, 

as  if^  or  like :   4.    Don't  act a  baby.     5.   all 

his  predecessors,  he   was  despotic.     6.   We  never  quarrel 

now we  did  when  we  were  boys.     7.    He  was  hanged, 

just a  common  spy.    8.   He  was  hanged,  just  ■ 


Adjec- 
tives mis* 
used  for 
adverbs 


Misuse  of 
like 


180 


APPENDIX  A 


he  had  been  a  common  spy.     9.    He  votes his  father 

did.     10.    She  sings she  had  a  cold. 

Shall  and         XXVII.     Study  Rules  46-50.     Write  the  following  sen- 

will  tences,  filling  each  blank  in  sentences  1-10  with  shall  or  loill^ 

and  each  blank  in  sentences  11-20  with  should  or  would. 

State  in  parentheses  after  each  sentence  why  the  auxiliaries 

you  have  inserted  are  correct.     1.    I  think  I find  the 

study  easy.     2.    I  am  the  carpenter  you  engaged.     

my  men  begin  work  to-day  ?    3.    " you  see  Niagara 

on  your  way  east?"     *'No;   I    don't    think    I ." 

4.    "  Oh  Mr.  Meyer,  the  singer  I  engaged  has  disappointed 

me.   you  sing  for  me  to-night  ?  "    "Yes,  I sing 

for  you."    5.  "Hello,  Meyer.    you  be  busy  to-night?" 

*'  Yes  ;  I sing  at  Mrs.  West's  to-night."    6.  I • 

probably  fail  in  the  examination.     7.   I  am  very  anxious. 

If  no  one  assists  me,  I starve.     But  sell  my  library  ? 

No  !     I never  do  that.     8.    "If  you  eat  this  rabbit, 


•  you  be  kept  awake  all  night  ? ' 
by  Jove,  I eat  it  anyway."     9. 


Probably ;  but 
If  I  miss  another 


class,  I be  required  to  take  an  extra  examination. 

10.    I probably  get  a  cool   reception    there,   but    I 

go,  whatever  happens.     11.   I not  have  sup- 
posed the  price  would  be  so  high.     12.   I have  been 

surprised   if  he  had  failed.     13.   Perceiving  that  I  ■ 


soon  need  a  light,  I  determined  that  I  - 


■  buy  a  lantern. 


•  be  censured  if  I  did  it. 


14.  I  fully  understood  that  ' 

15.   you  have  supposed  that  the  city  would  grow  so 

fast  ?     16.   We   feared  we get   caught  in  the   rain. 

17.    Since  the  car  was  so   late,  I  knew   1 miss   my 

class.     18.    It  was  so  warm  that  we  thought  we not 

need  our  overcoats.     19.    you  have  known  him  if  he 

had  not  introduced  himself  ?    20.   Yes,  even  if  he  had  not 
spoken,  I  think  I have  known  him. 


Exercises  chiefly  in  Sentence- Structure 

Reference         XXVIII.    Study  Rules  55-61.     Rewrite  the  following  sen. 
of  pro-  tences,   correcting  faulty  reference  :    1.    On   coming  home 

nouns  from  school,  my  brother  found  that  Rover  had  fallen  into 

the  cistern.  He  was  almost  ready  to  sink.  When  he  got 
him  out,  the  water  was  running  from  him  in  streams  and  he 
was  so  exhausted  that  he  could  not  stand.  When  he  saw  his 
condition,  he  feared  he  would  die.  2.  The  nurse  left  some 
medicine,  but  Molly  secretly  resolved  not  to  take  it.  When 
she  made  her  next  visit,  she  told  her  she  thought  she  had 
greatly  improved.  3.  The  directors  offered  to  reward  her 
liberally,  but  she  begged  them  to  give  it  to  her  father. 


APPENDIX  A 


181 


4.  Portia  and  her  maid  dressed  like  lawyers  and  went  to 
court.     She   found  that  Antonio   had   forfeited   the  bond. 

5.  The  essay  on  planets  is  short  and  witty.  After  stating  a 
few  thoughts    regarding    them,    he    makes    a    digression. 

6.  But  truth  will  always  come  out.  In  this  case  it  occurred 
in  the  following  way.  7.  When  the  next  man  came  to  bat 
and  knocked  the  ball  to  shortstop,  he  threw  it  over  the  first 
baseman's  head.  8.  She  next  removes  the  furniture  from 
the  parlor  and  sweeps  it.  9.  She  prepares  the  vegetables 
for  dinner  and  has  it  ready  when    her    husband  returns. 

10.  Some  parts  of  the  story  I  found  interesting,  but  this  was 
offset  by  so  much  dry,  uninteresting  reading.  The  descrip- 
tions he  gives  of  the  different  characters  are  interesting. 

11.  The  cadets  at  West  Point  are  appointed  by  the  members 
of  Congress.  On  graduating,  he  receives  a  commission  in  the 
army.  12.  He  attached  the  hose  to  the  tank  and  flushed  it 
about  once  a  month.  13.  The  sugar  beet  is  an  easy  vegeta- 
ble to  grow  ;  in  a  good  season,  a  farmer  gets  fifteen  tons  of 
them  from  each  acre.  14.  The  dam  is  not  water-tight,  but 
allows  it  to  seep  through. 

XXIX.  Study  Rules  62-65,  particularly  Rules  63,  64. 
Complete  the  following  sentences:  1.  Arriving  there  late 
. .  2.  Stepping  upon  the  platform .  3.  Check- 
ing his  horse  as  he  neared  the  two  straying  children . 

4.    Having  thus  accidentally  disclosed  her  identity  to  the 

policeman .     6.   Having  heard  that  you  are  a  skillful 

portrait  painter . 

XXX.  Study  Rules  66-68.     Complete  the  following  sen-   Dangling 

tences:     1.      Without     denying     your     statement  .    gerund 

2.  Upon  questioning  his  sister  as  to  the  truth  of  the  report   phrases 

.      3.    In  removing  the   chimney   of  his  lamp   that 

evening .      4.   Upon    examining    the    letters  that  I 

found  in  the  injured  man's  pocket .    5.   After  setting 

the  vase  in  this  very  insecure  position,  naturally . 

XXXI.  Study  Rules  69,  70.  Complete  the  following  sen- 
tences :  1.   When  a  mere  boy  (he  was   certainly  no   more 

than  ten  years  old  at  the  time), .      2.   Although  a 

very  instructive  book, .     3.   While  moving  about  in 

disguise  among  his  subjects, .     4.   If  in  doubt  as  to 

what  college  you  had  better  attend, .  5.  When  en- 
gaged in  this  work,  if  any  friends  came  to  see  him, . 

6.  While  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  the  plans  you  have 
told  me  about, . 

XXXII.  Study  Rules  77,  79,  80,  81.     Rewrite  the  follow-    Sentence* 
\ng  sentences,  improving  the  arrangement ;  make  no  changes    order 


Dangling 
elliptical 
clauses 


182  APPENDIX  A 

except  in  the  order  of  the  members  :  1.  The  top  is  a  cylinder 
on  the  surface  of  which  a  number  of  strips  one  sixteenth  of 
an  inch  thick  and  one  inch  above  the  surface,  called  knives, 
are  placed.  2.  These  pulleys  are  connected  with  another 
set  of  pulleys  of  ten  inch  diameter  at  the  lower  part  of  the 
machine  by  belts.  3.  He  sometimes  tried  to  discuss  subjects 
that  interested  him  with  the  Autocrat.  4.  I  judged  that 
the  fellow  was  a  monk  who  had  fled  from  the  monastery  by 
his  gown  and  his  air  of  trepidation.  5.  He  finally  succeeded 
in  drawing  the  spoon  hook  up  close  to  the  boat,  on  which 
he  found  a  turtle.  6.  Every  one  felt  sure  that  Beiler  had 
no  chance  of  winning  soon  after  he  began  to  speak.  7.  He 
tore  up  the  tender  letter  which  his  mother  had  written  him 
in  a  fit  of  peevish  vexation.  8.  Lamb  playfully  pretends  to 
prove  that  the  art  of  roasting  pigs  originated  in  China  by  an 
old  manuscript.  9.  The  author  here  makes  a  digression 
proving  that  devil-fish  actually  exist  and  that  they  have  been 
known  to  devour  men,  to  make  the  story  more  real.  10.  In 
a  village  on  the  AVisconsin  River  just  above  the  point  where 
it  joins  the  Mississippi  on  a  cold  February  afternoon  I 
first  saw  the  light  of  day.  11.  There  are  two  ways  of  chisel- 
ing at  present  in  use  among  machinists  that  are  equally 
effective.  12.  The  light  causes  a  chemical  action  on  the 
plate  in  the  camera  which  is  imperceptible  to  the  eye. 
13.  The  yacht  is  drawn  up  out  of  the  water  after  every  race 
on  a  small  railway.  14.  There  was  a  pilot  house  just  in 
front  of  the  engine  room  which  looked  like  a  watchman's 
box.  15.  He  was  taken  out  to  the  transport  which  wjis 
anchored  off  the  coast  in  a  row  boat.  16.  Keeping  his  op- 
ponent covered  with  his  six-shooter,  he  collected  all  the 
money  that  was  lying  on  the  table  in  his  hat.  17.  How 
can  a  man  write  a  theme  when  he  has  the  problem  of  finding 
the  equation  of  the  common  tangent  to  a  hyperbola  and  an 
ellipse  on  his  mind  ?  18.  lie  adds  the  amounts  of  all  checks 
received  during  the  day  on  an  adding  machine.  19.  I  was 
able  to  save  the  motor  car  that  had  broken  away  from  de- 
struction by  a  happy  accident.  20.  Sometimes  you  will  see 
an  alligator  lying  in  the  sunshine  on  the  bank  eight  feet 
long.  21.  Members  will  please  inform  the  steward  of  their 
intention  to  dine  at  the  club  upon  their  arrival  to  insure 
good  service.  22.  We  demand  the  suppression  of  the  traffic 
in  liquors  to  be  used  for  beverages  by  every  lawful  means. 

Position  of  XXXIII.  Study  Rule  78.  Rewrite  the  following  sen- 
only,  al-  tences,  putting  the  misplaced  adverbs  in  the  proper  positions  : 
most,  and  i.  The  manufacture  of  sugar  is  only  profitable  in  a  large 
ever  factory.    2.    I  only  saw  him  once  after  that.    3.  Tlie  office 

is  only  open  in  the  forenoon.     4.    I  only  need  a  few  dollars. 


APPENDIX  A 


183 


5.  He  only  succeeded  in  stopping  the  horse  after  it  had 
coUided  with  an  electric  car  and   demolished  the   buggy. 

6.  He  had  almost  got  to  the  top  when  tlie  rope  broke.  7.  I 
never  expect  to  see  the  like  again.  8.  Do  you  ever  remem- 
ber to  have  seen  the  accused  before  ? 

XXXIV.  Study  Eule  85.  Rewrite  the  following  sen- 
tences, correcting  the  split  infinitives :  1.  A  considerable 
period  is  required  to  properly  heat  the  eggs.  2.  The  acid 
is  allowed  to  slowly  percolate.  3.  The  glare  of  the  fire 
seemed  to  completely  light  the  city.  4.  He  reefed  his 
canvas  in  order  to  better  weather  the  storm.  5.  Because  of 
the  confusion  he  was  able  to  easily  make  his  escape.  6.  She 
was  seen  to  slowly  and  steadily  sink  into  the  quicksand. 

7.  Are  you  willing  to  in  any  way  assist  us?  8.  It  is  ad- 
visable to  always  keep  the  tank  fall. 

XXXV.  Study  Eule  112.  Rewrite  the  following  sen- 
tences, placing  the  correlative  conjunctions  in  each  before 
coordinate  members  :  1.  It  may  either  be  read  for  pleasure 
or  systematic  study.  2.  The  bees  had  not  only  stung  my 
brother,  but  my  friend  and  me  also.  3.  I  intend  to  assist 
him,  both  for  the  sake  of  his  mother  and  himself.  4.  Neither 
the  fear  of  the  king  nor  any  one  else  retarded  him.  5.  I 
will  neither  give  you  money  nor  favor.  6.  The  crew  was 
discouraged  both  on  account  of  the  prevalence  of  sickness 
and  the  bad  weather.  7.  Either  he  has  not  been  here  at 
all,  or  only  for  a  few  minutes.  8.  They  are  neither  per- 
mitted to  read  the  newspapers,  nor  even  old  magazines. 
9.  He  not  only  spoke  all  the  principal  languages  of  Europe, 
but  of  Asia  also.  10.  He  could  not  be  persuaded  either  by 
promises  of  money  or  promotion.  11.  The  trustees  invite 
full  investigation  not  only  relative  to  the  charges  made  but 
any  other  matters  concerning  the  college.  12.  The  new 
truck  can  be  used  either  for  carrying  a  load  up  or  down 
s^  .'rs. 

XXXVI.  Study  Rule  97.  The  coordination  in  the  fol- 
lowing sentences  is  conspicuously  illogical.  Recast  the 
sentences,  making  the  grammatical  relations  correspond  to 
the  logical  relations.  1.  Mrs.  Dane's  Defense  is  a  play  in 
four  acts  and  was  written  by  Henry  Arthur  Jones.  2.  The 
collapse  was  due  to  the  undermining  of  the  stratum  and  the 
vibrations  caused  by  the  cars  had  dislodged  the  walls.  3.  The 
essay  tells  about  chimney  sweeps,  and  the  author  writes 
in  his  usual  delightful  style.  4.  Alfalfa  thrives  in  a  high 
soil,  which  becomes  too  dry  to  nourish  other  plants,  but 
alfalfa  sends  its  roots  down  sometimes  thirty  feet  for  water. 
6.  A  board  fence  surrounds  the  plant  to  keep  stragglers  from  ■ 


Split  in- 
finitives 


Correla- 
tion 


184 


APPENDIX  A 


Practice  in 
securing 
variety  of 
subordi- 
nation 


The  so 
habit 


Parallel- 
ism 


wandering  about  the  dangerous  machinery,  and  besides 
many  secret  processes  are  used  which  the  company  does  not 
wish  to  become  known  to  outsiders.  6.  He  showed  me  some 
marbles  which  looked  as  if  they  had  once  been  white  but 
now  they  seemed  to  have  been  dropped  into  an  ink  bottle. 
7.  It  undergoes  here  a  process  similar  to  the  preceding  one 
but  the  quantity  of  lime  added  is  in  this  case  smaller. 

XXXVII.  Study  the  note  under  Rule  97.  Recast  the 
following  sentences,  using  as  many  varieties  of  subordina- 
tion as  possible  :  1.  The  name  of  this  bar  is  the  whiffle  tree 
and  to  it  the  traces  are  attached.  2.  He  ate  his  breakfast 
and  then  he  went  to  his  office.  3.  It  had  a  fine  outlook  and 
so  we  thought  it  would  be  a  good  camping  ground.  4.  It 
had  not  been  watered  for  a  week  and  it  looked  dry  and 
wilted.  6.  An  electric  bell  is  a  form  of  motor  and  a  motor 
is  a  machine  for  transforming  electrical  energy  into  power. 

6.  In  the  box  is  a  battery  and  the  poles  of  the  battery  are 
connected  to  binding  posts.  7.  The  tube  widens  out  at  the 
end  and  is  called  the  speaking  trumpet.  8.  The  second  tube 
is  shorter  than  the  first  and  is  called  the  receiver.  9.  I 
didn't  want  the  paper  at  all,  but  I  wanted  to  please  the  edi- 
tor and  I  subscribed.  10.  He  is  quicker  and  more  capable 
than  his  rivals  and  he  is  sure  to  get  the  best  of  them. 
11.  The  foundry  is  a  low  brick  building  and  projecting  above 
the  roof  is  a  huge  chimney.  12.  Presently  she  met  a  lady 
and  asked  her  the  way  to  the  Hall.  13.  The  material  was 
brought  to  the  nearest  station  by  rail  and  it  was  drawTi  to 
the  mine  by  horses.  14.  In  the  corner  was  a  bureau  and  a 
mirror  hung  over  it. 

XXXVIII.  Study  Rule  99.  Recast  the  following  sen- 
tences using  as  many  varieties  of  subordination  as  possible  : 
1.  She  wished  to  make  a  good  appearance  so  she  borrowed 
a  necklace.  2.  He  feared  she  would  be  corrupted  by  the 
court,  so  he  kept  her  close  at  home.  3.  This  is  a  difficult 
piece  of  work  so  great  care  is  necessary.  4.  The  cups  did 
not  match,  so  she  sent  them  back.  5.  He  needed  some  little 
shoes  as  a  model  for  his  picture  so  his  mother  found  for  liim 
the  shoes  that  he  himself  had  first  worn.  6.  I  felt  very 
tired  and  jaded  so   I  could    not    listen    very   attentively. 

7.  The  stalks  of  the  wheat  must  be  bent  back  so  a  large  reel 
like  a  paddle-wheel  is  provided.  8.  He  wished  to  show 
deference  to  the  strong  religious  principles  of  his  host  so  he 
attended  mass  on  Sunday. 

XXXIX.  Study  Rule  111.  Rewrite  the  following  sen- 
tences, making  parallel  in  form  the  members  that  perform 
similar    functions:    1.  Cheering    was  heard  on  the    Box- 


APPENDIX  A 


185 


burgh,  Alabama,  and  on  the  Virginia.  2.  Many  remarks 
were  heard  from  the  crowd,  some  people  asserting  that  the 
horse's  leg  was  out  of  joint,  others  that  it  was  broken,  and 
there  were  othei-s  who  urged  that  the  horse  be  shot  at  once. 
3.  He  had  created  Belgium,  saved  Spain,  and  had  rescued 
Turkey,  4.  We  were  bent  on  seeing  the  exhibit  and  at  the 
same  time  learn  something  of  the  metropolis.  5.  The  team- 
ster got  us  out  of  this  plight  by  driving  a  few  miles  eastward 
to  a  small  camp,  secured  a  piece  of  iron,  and  with  some 
difficulty  fashioned  a  pin  that  served  our  purpose.  6.  Some 
of  us  were  acquainted  with  chemistry,  dravdng,  and  with 
one  of  the  modern  languages.  7.  Some  of  the  men  were 
allowed  to  take  special  work,  such  as  to  enter  the  track 
team,  baseball,  basketball  team,  or  take  crew  work.  8.  The 
chief  ingredients  are  barley  and  hops,  which  are  boiled  to- 
gether and  the  resulting  liquid  fermented  and  carbonated. 

9.  A  pattern  is  made,  and  liquid  iron  run  into  the  mould. 

10.  He  could  have  opened  the  door  by  running  a  knife  along 
the  crack  and  slide  the  catch  up.  11.  She  telegraphed 
him  to  come  home  at  once  or  serious  consequences  would 
ensue. 

XL.  Study  Rule  111  and  the  note  under  Rule  75.  Make 
a  diagram,  like  the  one  printed  in  that  note,  showing  the 
parallelism  of  the  following  sentence  : 

Tennyson's  The  Lady  of  Shalott  is  a  narrative  poem  re- 
lating how  a  mysterious  lady,  living  on  an  island  in  a  river 
'within  view  of  the  castle  of  Camelot,  was  enjoined,  under 
penalty  of  a  mortal  curse,  to  weave  incessantly  at  a  loom  and 
never  to  look  toward  Camelot ;  how  she  continued  for  a 
while  to  observe  the  mystic  decree,  never  even  looking  from 
the  window,  but  observing  the  scenes  near  her  island  by  the 
reflection  of  them  in  a  mirror  ;  how,  weary  with  the  task  and 
the  restraint,  she  one  day  saw  in  her  mirror  the  image  of  a 
splendid  knight  riding  by  the  river,  hastened,  forgetting  the 
prohibition,  to  the  window,  gazed  on  the  knight,  and  in  so 
doing  saw  the  castle  of  Camelot ;  and  how,  this  act  of  dis- 
obedience bringing  the  curse  upon  her,  she  soon  sickened 
and  died. 

For  practice  in  the  use  of  parallelisms,  write  a  one- 
sentence  summary  of  each  of  the  following  poems  and 
stories :  Tennyson's  Locksley  Hall,  Ulysses,  The  Talking 
Oak,  A  Dream  of  Fair  Women,  Lady  Clare,  The  Captain  ; 
Browning's  Love  Among  the  Buins,  De  Gustihus,  Up  at  a 
Villa  —  Down  in  the  City,  Herve  Riel,  The  Laboratory, 
A  Portrait;  Bret  Harte's  The  Outcasts  of  Poker  Flat,  The 


Organ  iza* 
tion  of 
long  sen- 
tences by 
means  of 
parallel- 


186 


APPENDIX  A 


LucTc of  Boaring  Camp;  Hawthorne's  David  Swan,  A  HiU 
from  the  Town  Pump,  The  Wedding  Knell. 

Note.  —  Be  careful  not  to  make  any  of  the  sentences  of  this 
exercise  compound  sentences;  remember:  a  single  main  subject 
and  predicate  as  the  basis  of  each  sentence.  Also,  try  to  use  as 
many  kinds  of  parallelism  as  possible.  For  the  parallel  mem- 
bers of  one  sentence  use  participial  phrases ;  for  those  of  another, 
use  how  clauses ;  for  those  of  another,  use  of  phrases ;  for  those 
of  another,  use  direct  objects;  and  so  on. 

False  par-  XLI.    Study  Rules  115,  116.     Kewrite  the  following  sen- 

allelism  tences,  correcting  the  false  parallelism:  1.  The  barley  is 
thus  steeped,  washed,  and  at  the  same  time  absorbs  oxygen. 
2.  The  Gulf  Stream  is  50  miles  wide,  2000  feet  deep,  and 
flows  90  miles  a  day.  [See,  regarding  the  figures  in  the 
preceding  sentence.  Rule  272  a.]  3.  He  had  curly  black 
hair,  dark  blue  eyes,  and  wore  glasses.  4.  Coal  burns 
brightly,  slowly,  and  throws  out  much  heat.  5.  The  incu- 
bator must  be  thoroughly  cleaned,  ventilated,  and  the  inside 
apparatus  put  into  good  order.  6.  On  the  west  side  are  the 
offices  of  the  president,  treasurer,  auditor,  and  the  draught- 
ing room.  7.  He  said  that  the  Russian  peasants  were  dull, 
unprogressive,  and  that  farm  machinery  is  almost  unknown 
to  them.  8.  Every  man  must  have  a  military  suit,  a  gun, 
and  must  report  promptly  at  four.  9.  Hazlitt  tells  of  his 
experience  on  the  way  to  the  fight,  at  the  fight,  and  of  his 
return  home.  10.  The  new  elephant  is  six  years  old,  five 
feet  high,  and  it  may  be  stated  incidentally  that  his  railroad 
fare  was  $130.  11.  The  first  few  pages  contain  a  brief 
account  of  the  last  commencement,  new  appointments,  and 
the  president's  annual  report  is  reprinted  entire. 

Logical  XLII.     Study  Rules  117  and  28  ;  and  see  Subject,  Cause, 

agreement  and  Beason  in  the  Glossary.  The  following  sentences  are 
illogical.  State  briefly  in  what  respect  each  one  is  illogical, 
and  rewrite  each  one,  correcting  its  defects.  1.  I  jumped 
off  the  car  in  the  opposite  direction  from  which  it  was  going. 
2.  The  efforts  of  the  militia  were  as  futile  as  the  police  had 
been.  3.  The  subject  of  the  first  paragraph  tells  liow  the 
mail  coaches  carried  the  news  of  English  victories.  4.  The 
topic  of  the  fifth  paragraph  is  whore  the  author  told  a  mother 
of  the  death  of  her  son.  5.  Discord  means  that  sounds  are 
lacking  in  harmony.  6.  P'xclusiveness  is  when  a  person 
likes  to  remain  aloof.  7.  The  outward  appearance  of  an 
ordinary  telephone  consists  of  a  box-like  structure. 
8.  Aerial  means  to  be  moving  in  the  air  or  flying.  9.  The 
fact  that  caused  this  chemical  change  was  due  to  the  hot 
weather.  10.  The  topic  of  the  essay  deals  with  the  value  of 
a  technical   education.     11.   The    cause    of   the   current  is 


APPENDIX   A 


187 


attributed  to  the  continuous  winds.  12.  The  only  use  to 
which  the  farm  is  now  put  is  for  pasturing  sheep.  13.  His 
aim  in  taking  a  college  course  is  simply  for  general  culture. 
14.  The  reason  I  dislike  the  study  is  on  account  of  the 
numerous  statistics  that  must  be  learned.  15.  Draughting 
as  practiced  nowadays  is  far  different  from  the  old  method. 
16.  The  material  of  drawing  pencils  is  much  finer  than  the 
ordinary  commercial  pencils.  ''7.  He  was  soon  promoted  to 
vice  president  of  the  company.  18.  The  style  of  architec- 
ture employed  in  this  church  resembles  very  closely  an  old 
cathedral.  19.  The  sugar  beet  is  rapidly  taking  the  place 
of  cane  sugar,  and  in  the  past  few  years  has  grown  to  be 
an  extensive  business.  20.  The  greatest  fault  I  have  against 
drill  is  the  trouble  of  changing  clothes.  21.  The  story  tells 
of  the  breaking  loose  of  a  cannon  on  board  a  ship  and  a 
description  of  the  weather  at  the  time  of  the  accident. 
22.  Why  I  should  have  an  aversion  to  Saturday  classes  any 
more  than  any  other  day  is  due  to  habit. 

XLIII.  Study  Rule  121.  The  following  sentences  are 
incorrect.  Correct  and  rewrite  them.  1.  I  can't  find  it 
nowhere.  2.  They  didn't  find  no  treasure.  3.  There  isn't 
no  one  here  who  knows.  4.  I  didn't  see  no  fire ;  my  opinion 
is  that  there  wasn't  no  fire. 

XLIV.  Study  Rule  122.  The  following  sentences  are 
incorrect.  Correct  and  rewrite  them.  1.  It  will  not  take 
but  a  minute.  2.  I  didn't  see  but  two  men  there.  3.  I  can't 
hardly  believe  it.  4.  I  did  not  feel  hardly  strong  enough. 
6.  She  couldn't  stay  only  a  week.  6.  He  said  angrily  that 
he  wouldn't  give  only  forty  cencs.  7.  You  wouldn't  scarcely 
believe  the  real  story.  8.  I  hadn't  scarcely  passed  by  when 
the  stone  fell. 

Exercises  chiefly  in  Spelling 

XLV.  Study  Rules  149,  150.  Write  the  infinitive,  the 
present  participle,  and  the  past  participle  of  each  of  the 
following  verbs  {e.g.^  stop,  stopping,  stopped):  rob,  crib,  stab, 
bed,  shed,  bud,  beg,  flog,  sprig,  rig,  hem,  ram,  hum,  plan, 
skin,  shnn,  pin,  rip,  drop,  stop,  grip,  tip,  equip,  dip,  whip, 
slip,  scar,  mar,  debar,  occur,  demur,  prefer,  refer,  confer, 
bat,  pet,  rot,  flit,  quit,  regret,  omit,  com^nit,  permit,  admits 
repel,  propel,  compel,  expel,  impel. 

XLVI.  Study  Rules  149,  150.  Write  the  infinitive  and 
the  present  participle  of  each  of  the  following  verbs  {e.g., 
sit,  sitting)  :  bid,  rid,  shed,  dig,  run,  begin,  spin,  swim,  win, 
sit,  set,  bet,  get,  let,  cut,  hit,  put,  shut,  split. 


Double 
negative 


Incorrect 

negation 

with 

hardly, 

etc. 


Doubling 
final  con- 
sonants 


Doubling 
final  con- 
sonants 


188 


APPENDIX  A 


Dropping 
final  e 


Dropping 
final  e 


Final  e  re- 
tained 


Change  of 
y  to  i: 

Plurals 


Change  of 
y  to  i' 
Verbs 


Change  of 
ie  to  y 

Plurals  in 
8  and  es 


Present 
third  sing- 
ulars in  s 
and  es 

Adverbs 
in  lly 


XLVII.  Study  Rule  151.  Write  the  following  words,  to- 
gether with  the  adjectives  ending  in  able  derived  from  them 
(e.g.,  love,  lovable)  :  love,  excise,  believe,  name,  tame,  sale, 
deplore,  appease,  use,  forgive,  live,  shake. 

XLVIII.  Study  Rules  151, 152.  Write  the  infinite  and  the 
present  participle  of  each  of  the  following  verbs  (e.g.^  place, 
placing) :  place,  grace,  shade,  recede,  abide,  oblige,  bulge, 
strike,  bake,  take,  come,  home,  shine,  dine,  arrange,  slope, 
scrape,  pore,  scare,  please,  seize,  lose,  write,  bite,  procras- 
tinate, grate,  hate,  have,  strive,  rove^  rave, 

XLIX.  Study  *Rule  16H.  Write  each  of  the  following 
words  together  with  its  derivative  ending  in  ous  {e.g., 
courage,  courageous)  :  courage,  advantage,  outrage,  um- 
brage. Write  each  of  the  following  words  together  with 
its  derivative  ending  in  able  (e.g.,  notice,  noticeable)  : 
notice,  peace,  manage,  change. 

L.  Study  Rule  154.  Write  the  singular  and  the  plural 
of  each  of  the  following  nouns  {e.g.,  lady,  ladies)  :  lady, 
body,  buggy,  lily,  folly,  dummy,  ninny,  company,  harmony, 
copy,  berry,  library,  century,  country,  courtesy,  city,  party, 
frivolity,  valley,  monkey,  chimney,  money,  pulley,  volley, 
kidney,  trolley,  donkey,  galley. 

LT.  Study  Rule  155.  Write  the  first  and  third  persons, 
present  indicative,  and  the  first  person  past,  of  each  of  the 
following  verbs  {e.g.,  I  cry,  he  cries,  I  cried)  :  c?-?/,  Jly,  fry, 
tiy,  apply,  supply,  defy,  deny,  satisfy,  classify,  hurry,  marry, 
carry,  tarry,  bury. 

LII.  Study  Rule  156.  Write  the  infinitive  and  the  pres- 
ent participle  of  each  of  the  following  verbs  {e.g.,  lie, 
lying)  :  lie,  die,  tie,  vie. 

LIU.  Study  Rule  157.  Write  the  singular  and  the  plural 
of  each  of  the  following  nouns  {e.g.,  bead,  beads)  :  bead, 
road,  leak,  freak,  wheel,  pail,  beam,  seam,  screen,  steep, 
leap,  paradox,  hiss,  hcAr,  fair,  repair,  pass,  glass,  beet,  boat, 
hoot,  flash,  crash,  cow,  row,  crow,  dish,  box. 

LIV.  Study  Rule  158.  Write  the  indicative  present  first 
and  third  persons  singular  of  the  following  verbs  (e  g.,  refer, 
refers)  :  refer,  deem,  claim,  gleam,  disdai7i,  feel,  squeal, 
pass,  rush,  differ,  assign,  toss,  gash,  miss,  fix,  eat,  txcist. 

LV.  Write  each  of  the  following  words,  together  with 
its  derivative  in  ly  {e.g.,  final,  finally)  :  final,  visual,  actual, 
continual,  principal,  practical,  casual,  general,  oral,  orig- 
inal, occasional,  special,  partial. 


APPENDIX  A 


189 


LVI.     Write  each  of  the  following  words  together  with  its    "  Acci- 
derivative  in   ally   {e.g.,  accident^   accidentally)  :   accident,    dentally," 
incident,  heroic,  poetic,  dramatic,  prosaic,  occasion. 


etc. 


The  end- 
ings le  and 
el 


LVII.  Write  the  following  words,  observing  that  in  the 
great  majority  the  ending  is  le,  only  a  few  ending  in  el. 
Observe  that  in  most  of  the  words  ending  in  el,  the  final 
syllable  is  preceded  by  v,  m,  or  n.  Able,  amble,  addle,  axle, 
apple,  Bible,  babble,  bramble,  buckle,  battle,  bubble,  bridle, 
baffle,  cable,  cradle,,  coddle,  crackle,  candle,  castle,  dandle, 
dazzle,  daxodle,  double,  dimidle,  eagle,  feeble,  fable,  fondle, 
fickle,  gable,  giggle,  goggle,  gamble,  handle,  huddle,  ingle, 
icicle,  juggle,  jangle,  jingle,  ladle,  marble,  muddle,  maple, 
middle,  noble,  nibble,  ogle,  paddle,  poodle,  people,  quibble, 
riddle,  rabble,  rifle,  ripple,  stable,  sable,  sample,  staple, 
subtle,  saddle,  sprinkle,  sickle,  table,  tackle,  title,  topple, 
trestle,  twinkle,  wrinkle,  wrestle,  whistle,  mantle  (a garment). 

Bevel,  drivel,  gavel,  gravel,  hovel,  level,  navel,  novel, 
ravel,  revel,  dishevel,  shrivel,  snivel,  travel.  Camel,  enamel, 
trammel.  Flannel,  funnel,  panel,  tunnel.  Babel,  label, 
libel.    Angel,  vessel,  chisel,  nickel,  mantel  (a  chimney-piece) . 

LVIII.  Write  the  following  adjectives,  observing  that  in 
all,  the  ending  is  not  ftill,  but  ful :  useful,  beautiful, 
careful,  merciful,  joyful,  awful,  skillful,  hopeful,  vengeful, 
mournful,  cheerful,  wonderful,  delightful, 

LIX.  Write  the  following  words,  observing  that  in  all, 
the  ending  is  not  us,  but  ous :  humorous,  courageous,  plente- 
ous, mischievous,  simultaneous,  miscellaneous,  pretentious, 
luminous,  ridiculous,  grievous,  glorious,  bounteous,  out- 
rageous, hideous,  heinous,  troublous,  garrulous,  bibulous. 

LX.  Write  the  following  words,  observing  that  in  all,  the 
prefix  is  not  all,  but  al :  already,  altogether,  almost,  also, 

LXI.     Study  Kule  159.     Copy  the  following  : 

Celia 
Celia. 
Celia 
CeZia 
Cefia 
Celia 

LXII.  Write  the  following  words,  observing  that  in  each, 
the  prefix  is  not  diss,  but  dis :  dis-appear,  dis-appoint",  dis- 
grace, dis-close,  dis-gorge,  dis-honor,  dis-band,  dis-locate, 
dis-dain,  dis-turb. 

LXIII.     Write  following  words,  observing  that  in  each,    Professor^ 
the  prefix  is  not  prof  but  pro :  pro-fessor,  pro-fession,  pro-   etc. 


receive 
helieve 
deceive 
relieve 

receipt 
belief 
deceit 
relief 

conceive 

conceit 

perceive 

The  adjec- 
tive end- 
ing ful 


The  adjec- 
tive end- 
ing ous 


The  ad- 
verb pre- 
fix al 

Receive, 

believe, 

etc. 


Disappear 
and  dis- 
appoint 


190 


APPENDIX  A 


Precede^ 
proceed^ 
etc. 


Business 


Lose  and 
loose 


Lead  and 
led 


Too,  to, 
and  two 


fessional,  pro-vide^  pro-found^  pro-voke.,  pro-tect^  pro-hation^ 
pro-nounce,  pro-ceed,  pro-gress. 

LXIV.   Write  the  following  words,  observing  the  varia- 
tions in  the  spelling  of  the  last  syllable  : 

supersede 


precede           proceed  {but 

procedure) 

recede              exceed 

concede           succeed 

intercede 

S:V.   Write  the  following 

pairs  of  words 

happy 

happi-ness 

rosy 

rosi-uess 

fluffy 

flufla-ness 

crazy 

crazi-ness 

dizzy 

dizzi-ness 

lonely 

loneli-ness 

busy 

busi-ness 

LXVI.    Lose  is  a  verb  ;  loose  is  an  adjective.     Write  the 
following  sentences,  filling  the  blanks  with  lose  or  loose : 

1.    The  screw  is  — .     2.    Don't it.    3.   If  it  gets 

,  you  will  it.    4.   His  coat  is  er  than 

yours,  but  mine  is  the  est  of  all.    6.   By  ing 


change,   the 


•jointed    traveler    sneered, 
there's  no  dant^er  of ing  him. 


his 

6.  Turn  him  • 

LXVII.  The  principal  parts  of  lead  are  lead,  led,  led. 
Write  the  following  sentences,  filling  the  blanks  with  lead 

or  led:    1.    He  met  me  and  me  in.    2.    They  will 

us  astray,  as  our  friends  were astray.     3.    It 

was  this  act  that to  his  success.    4.   I  was to 

think  that  this  would to  misfortune.     5.   If  she  had 

asked  me  to ,  I  should  have . 

LXVIII.  Too  is  an  adverb;  it  means  excessively  (as 
**  He  is  too  weak  ")  or  also.  To  is  a  preposition.  7  wo  is 
a  number  (=2).     Write  the  following  sentences,  filling  the 

blanks  with  too,  to,  or  two:   1.   It  is  weak • 

withstand  winters.     2.    He  thought  the men 

were harsh,  and  I  thought  so .     3.   say 


that,  is 
was  — 


say  a  thing  with 


meanmcjs. 


miles  from  home  and  was  hungry 

wish dispute  your statements.    6. 


4.   He 
.     6.    I 


uncharitable  ;  it  would  be  cruel 


Accept 
and  except 


take  one  would  be 
take  - 

LXIX.   See  Except  in  the  Glossary.     Write  the  following 
sentences,   filling  the  blanks  with  accept  or  except:   1.    I 

would  the  offer,  for  my  religious  scruples. 

2.    He  is  the  best  pianist  in  Europe  ;  I  do  not even 


APPENDIX  A 


191 


Liszt.     3.    Most   of   the  rebels   were   offered   pardon  and 

ed  it ;  but  the  leaders  were ^ed  from  the  offer. 

4.   He  burned  all  the  household  goods,  not ing  even 

the  heirlooms.    5.    Why  did  you Charles  from  your 


-ed  anyway. 


invitation  ?     He  wouldn't  have  ■ 

LXX.   See  Affect  in  the  Glossary.     Write  the  following   Affect  and 
sentences,  filling  the  blanks  with  affect  or  effect:  1.    That    effect 

statement  is  true,  but  it  does  not the  case.     2.   The 

failure  of  the  bank  did  not his  equanimity.    3.   The 

admonition  of  the  dean  had  a  good ,    4.    The  generals 

ed  a  junction,  but  this  action  had  no on  the 

enemy.    5.   His  brooding ed  his  health.    6.    The  ut- 
most efforts  of  his  physician  could  not a  cure. 

LXXI.    Study  Rule  160  including  the  note.     Write  the  Principal 

following  sentences,    filling  the   blanks  with  principal  or  andprm- 

principle  :   1.  The street  runs  north.     2.   The ^^^^^ 

of  the  school  was  a  man  of  strong s.    3.   The 


involved  is  what  I 

his  s  to  use  more  than  the  interest ; 

kept  intact.    5.    His  occupation  was  to  master  the 


-ly  object  to.     4.   It  was  against 
the  he 


-s  of  geometry. 


LXXII.  Study  Rule  160  including  the  note.  Write  ten 
sentences  using  principal  correctly  and  ten  using  principle 
correctly. 

LXXIII.  Regarding  advice^  advise^  device^  devise,  remem- 
ber the  following  formula : 


Nouns 
advice 
device 


Verbs 
advise 
devise 


-ed  me,   and   I  thought  it 


was  not  enough.    8.   The  - 


Principal 
and  prin- 
ciple 

Advice, 
advise  f 
device, 
devise 


Write  the  following  sentences,  filling  the  blanks  with 

advice  or  advise:    1.   I  you  to  buy.     2.    He  was 

ed  not  to  take  the  lawyer's  .     3.  A  message 

from    his  er   brought   important   es.     4.   He 


-able  to  foUow  his 


Write  the  following  sentences,    filling  the  blanks  with 

device  or  devise:    6.    It  is  an  ingenious ,  but  can't 

we  a    better  one  ?    6.    Many  es  were  em- 
ployed.   7.    He a  machine ;  but  merely  ing 


-es  and  desires  of  our  hearts. 


Exercises  chiefly  in  Punctuation 

LXXIV.    Study  Rules  24  and  230.     Write  the  following 
sentences  and  groups  of  sentences  correctly  punctuated  and 


192 


APPENDIX   A 


The 

**  comma 
fault," 
and  the 
confound- 
ing of 
clauses 
and  sen- 
tences 


capitalized  :  1.  Well  I  must  go  now  goodby  I'll  see  you 
later.  2.  She  knew  nothing  of  the  world  her  one  duty 
being  the  care  of  her  father's  house  while  her  sister  knew 
nothing  of  household  affairs  and  cared  nothing  for  the  quiet 
pleasures  of  the  fireside  the  opera  the  ballroom  and  the 
promenade  absorbing  all  her  interest.  3.  As  soon  as  we 
had  finished  our  lunch  we  jumped  down  into  the  pit  this 
was  the  entrance  to  the  cave  we  had  come  to  explore  stoop- 
ing a  little  in  order  not  to  strike  our  heads  on  the  low  roof 
we  entered  the  cave  the  boys  leading  the  way  with  their 
candles.  4.  If  one  says  ''a  black  and  white  dog"  one 
means  one  dog  the  coal  of  which  is  partly  black  and  partly 
white  while  if  one  says  ''a  black  and  a  white  dog"  one 
means  two  dogs.  5.  I  suppose  I  must  go  if  I  don't  he'll  be 
anxious.  6.  A  million  dollars  would  yield  an  income  quite 
sufficient  for  my  needs  and  a  little  to  spare  thus  disposing  of 
the  great  problem  of  earning  a  living  allowing  me  also  to 
devote  myself  to  the  good  of  other  people.  7.  The  postman 
then  approached  he  would  surely  stop  I  thought.  8.  Since 
this  is  the  case  I  intend  either  to  continue  my  course  in 
engineering  or  else  at  the  end  of  this  year  to  drop  this  course 
and  begin  the  study  of  law  making  a  specialty  in  the  latter 
case  of  economics  and  history.  9.  It  was  delightful  to  have 
no  classes  to  attend  nothing  to  do  but  rest  and  read  also  to 
meet  my  old  friends  who  had  come  back  as  I  had  to  spend 
the  vacation  at  home.  10.  This  belt  runs  very  slowly  and 
on  it  the  press-man  puts  the  papers  they  are  then  carried  to 
the  distributing  room.  11.  At  three  o'clock  the  second  edi- 
tion is  printed  none   of  this  edition  is  sold  in  the  city. 

12.  The  first  papers  of  the  third  editionego  to  the  news- 
dealers these  take  from  fifty  to  two  thousand  copies  each 
next  the  newsboys  get  their  ten   or  twenty  copies   each. 

13.  Should  the  I'ailroad  cut  a  man's  land  the  man  generally 
has  the  company  agree  to  build  a  pass  under  the  track  or  a 
roadway  over  it  thus  giving  the  owner  easy  access  to  the  two 
fields  separated  by  the  track.  14.  If  that  were  my  good 
fortune  I  should  surely  go  next  summer  to  England  the 
country  in  which  my  father  was  born  and  which  I  have 
always  longed  to  visit  also  to  Switzerland  for  I  am 
certain  I  should  excel  in  mountain  climbing.  15.  After 
they  have  decided  upon  the  route  they  send  out  two  parties 
of  surveyors  the  first  party  takes  surface  measurements  and 
drives  stakes  with  the  measurements  written  on  them 
this  party  also  keeps  a  careful  record  of  all  the  measure- 
ments marked  on  the  stakes.  16.  Grout  is  next  thrown 
in  and  tamped  and  leveled  this  forms  the  body  of  the 
sidewalk. 


APPENDIX  A 


193 


LXXV.  Study  Kule  224.  Write  the  following  sentences,  Restric- 
designating  after  each  one  whether  the  relative  clause  is  tive  and 
restrictive  or  non-restrictive,  and  omitting  or  inserting  T^on-re- 
commas  accordingly  :  1.  He  committed  a  serious  error  in  strictive 
correcting  which  he  had  much  trouble.  2.  He  inquired  of  ^^^^^®^ 
the  man  who  had  charge  of  the  gate.  3.  The  old  gentleman 
across  the  aisle  who  had  been  getting  more  and  more  ner- 
vous now  stood  up.  4.  In  my  grandfather's  day  the  coach 
attained  a  speed  of  fifteen  miles  an  hour  which  was  the 
highest  speed  it  ever  attained.  6.  Some  sparks  fell  among 
the  straw  which  covered  the  floor.  6.  The  days  that  I  spent 
there  were  happy  ones.  7.  Tom  Briggs  whom  I  used  to  know 
when  I  was  a  boy  is  now  a  famous  engineer.  8.  Don't 
give  up  the  advantages  that  you  have  gained.  0.  The 
man  who  won  the  race  is  a  junior.  10.  The  Brooklyn 
bridge  which  spans  the  East  River  has  lately  been  repaired. 
11.  Here  they  found  a  number  of  brass  cannon  which  they 
destroyed.  12.  The  book  which  we  are  reading  has  more  in 
it  than  the  Ethiopian's  book.  13.  The  Bible  which  is  a  col- 
lection of  books  written  at  different  times  contains  a  wide 
range  of  literature.  14.  Philip  spoke  of  the  historical  back- 
ground of  the  chapter  which  the  man  was  reading.  15.  The 
Nicene  creed  is  a  statement  that  was  drawn  up  by  the 
Council  of  Nicsea.  16.  The  locomotive  that  was  used  in 
1840  looks  ridiculously  old-fashioned  to-day.  17.  There  is 
no  scientific  theory  which  is  not  open  to  revision.  18.  Not 
much  is  expected  of  those  who  have  recently  been  initiated. 

LXXVI.  Study  Rule  231  &.    Write  the  following  sentences,    Sentences 
properly  punctuated :   1.  These  screws  control  the  reticule    p^  clauses 
hence  they  are  called  reticule  screws.    2.  I  objected  to  the    V^^^'^T , 
plan  however  since  he  was  bent  on  it  I  yielded.     3.  A  hot   ^^^^/[e%. 
fire  is  necessary  therefore  a  strong  draft  must  be  provided,  y^^g  q^' 
4.  The  wood  had  been  injured  by  warping  moreover  the 
metal  parts  were  badly  rusted.     5.  Sickness  delayed  their 
moving  therefore  we  did  not  get  the  house  so  soon  as  we  had 
planned.     6.  What  you  say  is  true  nevertheless  the  thing  is 
impossible.     7.  The  meerschaum  becomes  finally  saturated 
with   nicotine  then   there    is  less   danger    of  its   breaking. 
8.   All  the  cracks  were  filled  with  tow  thus  the  craft  was  made 
seaworthy. 

LXXVII.  Study  Rules  221-237.  Write  the  following  sen- 
tences, punctuating  them  correctly.  After  each  mark  of 
punctuation,  write  within  brackets  the  number  of  the  rule 
in  accordance  with  which  the  mark  is  used.  1.  On  the 
south  side  for  about  fifty  feet  in  it  is  divided  into  two  stories. 


General 
exercise 
in  punctu- 
ation 


194  APPENDIX   A 

2.  It  will  never  rank  high  as  an  intercollegiate  game  for  the 
students  lind  greater  enjoyment  in  a  contest  between  teams. 

3.  Pirst  of  all  let  me  say  do  not  come  here  unless  you  have 
plenty  of  money  for  expenses  are  high.  4.  I  advise  you 
however  to  investigate  for  yourself.  6.  Ruling-pens  like  any 
other  sharp  instrument  become  dull  with  use.  6.  When  the 
instruments  are  laid  away  especially  if  they  are  not  to  be 
used  for  some  time  the  compasses  should  be  left  open  for 
otherwise  they  will  lose  their  spring.  7.  The  better  the 
health  of  the  men  is  the  more  they  can  accomplish.  8.  The 
benefit  does  not  lie  only  in  the  development  of  individual 
students  but  it  lies  also  in  the  good  done  to  the  college  as  a 
whole.  9.  The  report  will  spread  to  remote  villages  and 
people  in  the  backwoods  will  be  induced  to  seek  thecollege. 

10.  The  yard  is  bordered  on  the  west  side  by  a  row  of  pine 
trees  and  other  trees  and  shrubs  are  planted  about  the  lawn. 

11.  Along  the  east  side  are  a  number  of  plum  trees  and  sev- 
eral flower  beds  dot  the  lawn  near  by.  12.  This  statement 
was  made  to  Mr.  A.  E.  Storey  chairman  of  the  committee. 
13.  If  our  laws  are  not  what  they  should  be  it  is  time  they 
were  amended.  14.  While  we  were  eating  a  child  the  son  of 
one  of  the  natives  approached.  15.  Some  were  armed  with 
bolos  but  an   order  was   given    that   no   one  should    fire. 

16.  After  the  ship  is  in  the  upper  gate  of  the  lock  is  closed. 

17.  Bishop  of  Beauvais  thy  victim  died  in  Are.  18.  I  slept 
very  late  slept  in  fact  until  noon.  19.  The  back  of  the  table 
its  square  corners  its  size  its  heaviness  these  are  features  I 
did  not  perceive.  20.  At  the  seance  the  following  incident 
occurred  a  gauze  robed  figure  gliding  as  it  seemed  from  be- 
hind a  screen  said  she  was  the  spirit  of  my  sister  and  fell  on 
my  neck.  21.  This  phenomenon  has  received  a  recognized 
name  among  alienists  namely  aphasia.  22.  The  great  dif- 
ference in  fact  between  the  two  kinds  of  thinking  is  this  that 
empirical  thinking  is  reproductive  but  reasoning  is  produc- 
tive.    23.  It  shone  by  its  own  light  a  strange  thing  to  see. 

24.  We  think  that  the  premises  of  both  controversialists 
were  unsound  that  on  these  premises  Addison  reasoned  well 
and  Steele  ill  and  that  consequently  Addison  brought  out  a 
false   conclusion   while   Steele   blundered  upon  the  truth. 

25.  It  was  due  to  the  great  satirist  who  alone  knew  how  to 
use  ridicule  without  abusing  it  who  without  inflicting  a 
wound  effected  a  great  social  reform  who  reconciled  wit 
and  virtue  after  a  long  and  disastrous  separation  daring 
which  wit  had  been  led  astray  by  profligacy  and  virtue  by 
fanaticism.  26.  The  pamphlet  contains  seventy-two  pages 
and  much  information  concerning  the  work  of  the  past  year 
is  furnished  within  this  space  much  more  than  was  given  to 


APPENDIX  A 


195 


the  public  in  the  smaller  publications  of  1901  1902  and 
1903.  27.  The  state's  attorney  who  has  been  indefatigable 
in  the  effort  to  obtain  evidence  against  Magill  the  detective 
on  the  case  and  the  special  grand  jurymen  are  all  puzzled, 

LX XVIII.   Study  Rule   278.     Write   the    following  sen-    Capitals 
tences,  filling  the  blanks  with  English^  French^   German^ 
Latin,  Greek,  Dutch,  Indian,  or  Spanish:    1.  In  the  battle 

the captain  met  a corporal.     2.  Some ■ 

and books  entertained  him,  while   he  drank . 

wine  and  smoked  a pipe.    3.  The ships  were 


destroyed  by  the  • 


-,  assisted  by  their  - 


■  allies. 


Study  Rule  275.  Write  a  composition  about  a  calendar, 
using  the  names  of  all  the  days  of  the  week,  all  the  months, 
and  the  four  seasons. 

LXXIX.  Write  the  following  passage,  correctly  punctu- 
ating, capitalizing,  and  paragraphing  it :  The  principal 
peculiarity  of  professor  collins  was  absent-mindedness  this 
often  led  him  to  mislay  or  lose  articles  necessary  to  his 
business  such  as  books  lecture  notes  etc  one  day  as  he  and 
another  professor  were  walking  down  a  street  in  the  village 
in  which  the  college  was  situated  professor  collins  suddenly 
stopped  looked  perplexed  and  said  why  my  notes  for  to-day's 
lecture  have  disappeared  oh  that's  all  right  said  his  friend 
smiling  give  an  impromptu  lecture  the  subject  is  too  com- 
plicated for  that  answered  professor  collins  truly  this  is 
serious  if  I  don't  find  those  notes  soon  I  must  disappoint  my 
class  of  forty  law  students  what  is  that  in  your  hand  asked 
his  friend  a  package  I  intended  to  mail  at  that  last  post-box 
was  the  answer  it  contains  some  copies  of  the  law  review 
my  notes  were  in  a  separate  envelope  of  about  the  same  size 
wait  for  me  a  minute  said  the  other  professor  with  a  know- 
ing look  he  went  to  the  post-box  which  they  had  passed  a 
minute  before  and  took  from  the  top  of  it  a  large  envelope 
this  he  brought  to  professor  collins  saying  don't  lose  these 
necessary  things  again  professor  collins  delighted  at  being 
relieved  from  the  anxiety  which  he  had  l3een  suffering 
seized  the  package  and  said  gratefully  as  Longfellow  puts 
it  thanks  thanks  to  thee  my  worthy  friend  oh  never  fear 
I'll  not  lose  them  again  at  least  not  to-day. 


General 
exercise  in 
spelling, 
punctuat- 
ing, capi- 
talizing, 
italicizing, 
and  para- 
graphing 


APPENDIX   B 

A  Grammatical  Vocabulary  explaining  Grammatical  and  Other 
Technical  Terms  used  in  this  Book 

Absolute.  A  substantive  with  a  modifier  (usually  a  participle)  at- 
tached to  a  predication  but  having  no  syntactic  relation  to  any 
noun  or  verb  in  the  predication  is  called  an  absolute  substantive. 
An  absolute  substantive  and  its  modifier  are  together  called  an 
absolute  phrase.  The  italicized  part  of  the  following  sentence  is 
an  absolute  phrase :  '•'•The  ivi7id  being  favorable^  they  embarked." 
For  other  examples  see  Rules  132  a  and  132  b. 

Active  voice.     See  Voice. 

Adjective.  A  word  used  to  modify  or  limit  the  meaning  of  a  substan- 
tive ;  e.g.^  blacky  human,  old,  beautiful,  metallic,  dry. 

Adjective  clause.  A  clause  used  to  modify  a  substantive  in  the  manner 
of  an  adjective;  e.g.,  ''The  vhin  that  fell  yesterday  wiia  a  bless- 
ing" (the  italicized  clause  modifies  the  noun  "rain");  "The 
house  where  he  used  to  live  is  vacant"  (the  italicized  clause 
modifies  the  noun  "  house  ") ;  "  There  was  once  a  city  07i  the  out- 
skirts of  which  lay  a  pestilential  morass  ^^  (the  italicized  clause 
modifies  the  noun  "city").  Adjective  clauses  are  often  called 
relative  clauses. 

Adjunct.  Modifiers  and  predicate  substantives  or  predicate  adjectives 
have  the  general  name  of  adjuncts.  A  modifier  is  said  to  be  an 
adjunct  of  the  sentence-member  it  modifies  ;  a  predicate  sub- 
stantive or  adjective  is  said  to  be  an  adjunct  of  the  verb  it  com- 
pletes. 

Adverb.  A  word  used  to  modify  verbs,  adjectives,  and  other  adverbs  ; 
e.g.,   slowly,  politely,   accurately,  very,  too,  then,  up,  down,  out. 

Adverbial  clause.  A  clause  used  to  modify  an  adjective,  an  adverb,  or 
a  verb  ;  e.g.,  "  He  is  greater  than  his  father  was  "  (the  italicized 
clause  modifies  the  adjective  "greater");  "He  walked  faster 
than  I  did  "  (the  italicized  clause  modifies  the  adverb  "faster"); 
"  I  will  come  if  my  salary  is  paid  when  it  is  due"  (the  clause 
"if.  .  .paid"  modifies  the  verb  "will  come";  the  clause 
**when.  .  .due"  modifies  the  verb  "is  paid"). 
196 


APPENDIX  B  197 

Adverbial  substantive.  A  substantive  used  to  limit  adverbially  an 
adjective,  an  adverb,  or  a  verb;  e.g.^  "It  is  worth  ten  cents''^ 
(*'ten  cents"  limits  the  adjective  "worth");  "He  walked 
two  miles  farther  "  ("  two  miles  "  limits  the  adverb  "  farther"); 
"  He  walked  two  miles  ("  two  miles  "  limits  "  walked"  adverb- 
ially). 

Antecedent.  The  word,  as  used  in  this  book,  means  the  substantive  to 
which  any  pronoun  refers.  In  the  sentence  "He  who  runs, 
may  read,"  "he"  is  the  antecedent  of  "  who."  In  the  sentence 
"  He  picked  up  a  stone  and  threw  it,"  "  stone  "  is  the  antecedent 
of  "it." 

Anticlimax.     See  Climax. 

Appositive.  A  substantive  attached  to  another  substantive  and  denot- 
ing the  same  person  or  thing  by  a  different  name  is  called  an  ap- 
positive, or  is  said  to  be  in  apposition  with  the  substantive 
modified.  In  the  sentence  "Edward  the  king  is  enjoying  his. 
favorite  sport,  —  yachting,"  "king"  is  in  apposition  with  "Ed- 
ward," and  "yachting"  is  in  apposition  with  "sport." 

Article.  The  word  the  is  called  the  definite  article  ;  the  word  a  ox  an  is- 
called  the  indefinite  article. 

Auxiliary.  The  verbs  6e,  have^  do.,  shall,  will,  may,  can,  must,  and 
ought,  with  their  inflectional  forms  (e.g.,  was,  am,  did,  should^ 
might,  could,  etc.)  when  they  assist  in  forming  the  voices,  modes, 
and  tenses  of  other  verbs,  are  called  auxiliaries.  The  italicized 
words  following  are  auxiliaries  :  "  Have  you  gone?  "  "  I  didnot 
see,"  "  He /ias  not  been  heard,"  "I  should  be  grieved  if  it 
was  broken." 

Cardinal  number.  The  words  one,  tioo,  three,  and  the  corresponding 
words  for  other  numbers  are  cardinal  numbers  ;  the  words  first., 
second,  third,  etc.,  are  ordinal  numbers. 

Case.  The  different  forms  that  a  substantive  takes  when  it  stands  in 
different  syntactic  relations  are  called  cases.  The  form  or  pair 
of  forms  (singular  and  plural)  that  a  substantive  takes  when  it 
is  the  subject  of  a  finite  verb  is  called  the  nominative  case  ;  the 
form  or  pair  of  forms  that  it  takes  when  it  modifies  another  sub- 
stantive by  indicating  a  possessor  is  called  the  possessive  case; 
the  form  or  pair  of  forms  that  it  takes  when  it  is  the  object  of  a 
verb  or  a  preposition  is  called  the  objective  case.  The  three 
cases  of  typical  nouns  and  of  the  principal  pronouns  that  are 
inflected  are  shown  in  the  tables  of  declension  under  Substan- 
tive. It  will  be  observed  that  in  the  nouns  the  nominative  and 
objective  cases  are  identical,  but  that  in  the  pronouns  they  are 
(with  the  exception  of  the  nominative  and  objective  singular  of 
it)  distinct. 


198  APPENDIX  B 

Causal  conjunction.  A  conjunction  that  introduces  a  statement  of 
cause  or  reason;  e.g.^  for  (coordinating);  because  and  since 
(subordinating). 

Clause.  A  group  of  words  composed  of  a  subject  and  a  predicate  and 
combined  witli  another  group  of  words  likewise  composed.  In 
the  sentence  (a)  "  When  I  awake,  I  am  still  with  thee,"  the  two 
groups  of  words  separated  by  the  comma  are  clauses.  A  clause 
that  plays  the  part  of  a  constituent  element  (a  subject,  a  predi- 
cate substantive,  a  modifier,  etc.)  in  the  clause  with  which  it 
is  combined  is  a  dependent  or  subordinate  clause  (see  Substan- 
tive clause,  Adjective  clause  and  Adverbial  clause).  A  clause 
that  does  not  form  a  constituent  part  of  another,  but  makes  an 
independent  assertion,  is  a  principal  clause.  The  italicized 
groups  of  words  in  the  following  sentences  are  principal  clauses: 
(h)  "  If  the  rope  breaks,  he  is  lost.''''  (c)  "  The  hell  sounded,  and 
every  one  ro.se."  A  principal  clause  on  which  a  subordinate 
clause  depends  is  called  a  governing  clause;  e.^^.,  the  principal 
clause  in  sentence  6,  above.  Clauses  that  play  the  same  part  in 
a  sentence,  whether  they  are  alike  principal  or  alike  dependent, 
are  called  coordinate  clauses.  See,  e.g.^  the  two  principal  clauses 
in  sentence  c,  above  ;  and  the  two  dependent  clauses  in  the  fol- 
lowing sentence  -.{d)  "  I'hough  lam  tired,  and  though  my  shoes 
pinch,  I  am  going  on." 

Climax.  A  series  of  assertions  or  coordinate  sentence-elements  so  ar- 
ranged that  each  one  is  stronger  or  more  impressive  than  the 
preceding  one.  See,  e.g.,  the  sentences  marked  Improved  under 
•Rule  89.  A  series  of  assertions  or  sentence-elements  decreasing 
in  strength  or  impressiveness  is  an  anticlimax.  See,  e.g.,  the 
sentences  marked  Weak  under  Rule  89. 

Common  noun.  A  noun  used  to  designate  any  member  of  a  class  ;  e.g.^ 
man,  ruler,  country,  city,  street,  building.  A  noun  used  to  dis- 
tinguish an  individual  member  of  a  class  from  other  members  is 
a  proper  noun  ;  e.g..,  John,  Anderson,  Ccesar,  Germany,  Boston, 
Broadway,  Acropolis.  A  proper  name  is  an  appellation  of  any 
kind  (including  proper  nouns)  used  to  distinguish  an  individual 
person  or  thing  ;  e.g.,  Henry  the  Second  (or  Hem'y  II.),  Bevolu- 
tionary  War,  First  National  Bank.  Democratic  Party,  Second 
Presbyterian  Church,  Domesday  Book,  Forty-first  Street,  Ohio 
liiver,  Niagara  Falls,  Edgar  County,  Calegonian  Literary  So- 
ciety, Sumner  High  School,  Columbia  College,  Morningside 
Park. 

Comparative.    See  Comparison. 

Comparison.  When  an  adjective  or  an  adverb  is  in  the  inflectional 
form  that  simply  designates  a  quality  or  manner  without  indi- 
cating the  degree  in  which  that  quality  or  manner  is  present,  it 


APPENDIX   B  199 

is  said  to  be  in  the  positive  degree  ;  this  form  is,  with  a  few  ex- 
ceptions, the  shortest  form  the  word  can  have,  —  e.g.^  sweet,, 
strong^  fast,  hard.  An  adjective  or  an  adverb  is  said  to  be  in 
the  comparative  degree  (1)  when  it  is  in  the  form  which  indi- 
cates that  the  quality  or  manner  is  present  in  a  greater 
measure  relatively  to  some  standard  (i.e.,  with  a  few  exceptions, 
the  form  ending  in  er ;  as  sweeter,  stronger,  faster,  harder) y 
or  (2)  when  its  positive  form  is  combined  with  more  {e.g.,  more 
sweet,  more  strong ^  more  rapidly,  more  laboriously).  An  ad- 
jective or  an  adverb  is  in  the  superlative  degree  (1)  when  it  is  in 
the  inflectional  form  ending  in  st  {e.g.,  sweetest,  strongest,  mosty 
best),  or  (2)  when  its  positive  form  is  combined  with  7nost  {e.g., 
most  sweet,  most  rapidly).  The  formation  of  the  three  degrees 
of  an  adjective  or  an  adverb  is  called  comparison. 

Complex  sentence.  A  sentence  that  contains  a  dependent  clause* 
See,  e.g.,  sentences  a,  b,  and  d  under  Clause. 

Compound  sentence.  Two  or  more  principal  clauses  connected  by 
coordinating  conjunctions  ;  or  two  or  more  principal  clauses  not 
connected  by  conjunctions,  but  written  with  such  punctuation 
and  capitalization,  or  spoken  with  such  slight  pauses  between 
them,  as  will  indicate  that  they  are  combined.  See,  e.g.,  sen- 
tence c  under  Clause,  and  the  following  sentences:  (a)  "I 
came,  I  saw,  I  conquered."  {b)  "Must  I  obey  you?  must  I 
crouch  before  you  ?  " 

Conditional.     See  Mode. 

Conjunction.  A  word  used  to  connect  one  word  with  another  or  one 
group  with  another;  e.g.,  and,  if  for.  Conjunctions  may  be 
distinguished  from  prepositions  {q.v.)  by  the  following  fact  : 
Any  conjunction  can  be  used  to  connect  one  predication  with 
another  {e.g.,  "/  opened  the  door  when  he  rapped  ^^), — an 
office  which  a  preposition  cannot  perform.  ;  one  of  the  two- 
elements  connected  by  a  preposition  must  always  be  a  sub- 
stantive {e.g.,  '''■  He  fell  into  the  cold,  water ''^). — Coordinating 
conjunctions  are  tiiose  which,  when  they  join  two  predications, 
make  those, predications  of  equal  rank, — neither  dependent  on 
the  other;  e.g.,  "  /  called  and  they  came.^^  The  principal 
coordinating  conjunctions  are  the  simple  conjunctions,  and,  but, 
or,  nor,  neither,  and/o?*;  the  correlative  conjunctions,  both  .  .  . 
and,  either  .  .  .  or,  neither  .  .  .  nor ;  and  the  conjunctive  ad- 
verbs, so,  also,  therefore,  hence,  however,  nevertheless,  moreover, 
accordingly,  besides,  thus,  then,  still,  and  yet.  —  Subordinating 
conjunctions  are  those  which,  when  they  join  two  predications 
make  one  of  those  predications  subordinate  to  the  other;  e.g., 
"  They  came  when  I  called.^''  The  principal  subordinating 
conjunctions  are  if,  though,  whether,  lest,  unless,  than,  aSy 
that,  because,  since,  when,  ichile,  after,  whereas,  provided. 


200  APPENDIX   B 

Conjunctive  adverbs.  Words  that  are  used  sometimes  as  adverbs  and 
sometimes  as  conjunctives.     See  Conjunction. 

Consonant.     See  Vowel. 

Construction.  The  grammatical  office  performed  by  any  word  in  a 
given  sentence  is  called  the  construction  of  that  word.  For  ex- 
ample, in  the  sentence  "He  walks  fast,''  the  construction  of 
"he"  is  that  of  subject  of  "walks";  the  construction 
of  "walks"  is  that  of  predicate  of  "  he "  ;  the  construction 
of  "fast  "  is  that  of  adverbial  modifier  of  "  walks." 

Coordinate.  Sentence-elements  that  are  in  the  same  construction 
within  a  sentence  are  coordinate.  In  the  sentence  "  He  and 
she  talked  long  and  earnestly  and  at  last  agreed,"  "he"  and 
"  she,"  "talked"  and  "  agreed,"  "  long"  and  "  earnestly  "  are 
coordinate. 

Coordinate  clause.    See  Clause. 

Coordinating  conjunction.     See  Conjunction. 

Copula.     The  verb  to  6e,  or  any  of  its  forms. 

Correlative  conjunctions.  Conjunctions  that  are  used  in  pairs;  e.g.^ 
both  .  .  .  and^  either  .  ,  .  or,  neither  .  .  ,  nor,  whether  .  .  .  or. 

Declension.     See  Inflection. 

Demonstrative  adjectives.  The  words  this  and  these,  that  and  those, 
when  they  are  used  as  adjectives;  e.g.,  "this  man."  "those 
men." 

Demonstrative  pronouns.  The  words  this  and  these,  that  and  those 
when  thev  are  used  as  substantives;  e.^.,"That  is  not  true," 
"  What  is*' this  ?  " 

Dependent  clause.     See  Clause. 

Direct  address.  Discourse  in  the  second  person  (see  Person)  ;  e.g., 
"Sir,  I  salute  you."  The  expression  a  substantive  used  in 
direct  address  means  a  substantive  that  indicates  to  whom  the 
discourse  is  addressed  ;    e.g.,  "  Sir"  in  the  foregoing  example. 

Direct  question.     See  Direct  quotation. 

Direct  quotation  (often  called  direct  discourse).  Quotation  of  dis- 
course exactly  as  it  was  spoken  or  written  ;  e.g.,  He  said  "  /  loill 
help.^^  Statement  of  the  substance  of  quoted  discourse  without 
the  use  of  the  exact  words  is  indirect  quotation  (or  indirect  dis- 
course) ;  e.g..  He  said  that  he  loouJd  help.  A  question  in- 
directly quoted  is  called  an  indirect  question  ;  e.g.,  He  asked 
whether  Iicould  help.  A  question  directly  quoted,  or  not  quoted 
but  directly  asked,  is  a  direct  question  ;  e.g.,  Will  you  help? 


APPENDIX   B  201 

Factitive  adjective.  An  adjective,  when  it  denotes  a  quality  or  state 
produced  by  the  action  of  a  verb,  is  called  a  factitive  adjective; 
e.g.,  "It  will  make  you  strong.''^ 

Figure  of  speech.  Certain  devices  of  expression  that  may  be  used  for 
making  discourse  interesting,  effective,  or  beautiful  are  called 
figures  of  speech ;  others  are  not  included  under  this  term. 
Which  of  them  are  included  cannot  be  stated  briefly,  for  the 
application  of  the  term  is  arbitrary,  being  based  simply  on  cus- 
tom and  not  on  any  common  peculiarity  of  the  devices  included. 
Of  the  devices  mentioned  in  this  book,  the  following  are  figures 
of  speech  :  simile,  metaphor,  climax,  irony  (see  these  words  in 
this  vocabulary),  and  the  use  of  the  historical  present  (tech- 
nically called  vision). 

Finite.     See  Mode. 

Future  tense.    See  Tense. 

Future-perfect  tense.    See  Tense. 

Gerund.  A  verb-form  ending  in  ing  is  called  a  gerund  when  it  is  used 
as  a  noun.  When  such  a  form  is  used  as  an  adjective,  it  is 
called  a  participle.  In  the  sentence,  ''  Coming  close,  he  whis- 
pered," *' coming"  is  used  as  an  adjective  modifying  "he"  and 
is  therefore  a  participle.  In  the  sentence  "  His  coming  was  ex- 
pected," "coming"  is  used  as  a  noun,  the  subject  of  "was 
expected,"  and  is  therefore  a  gerund.  A  gerund  may  fulfill 
the  principal  offices  of  a  noun.  It  may  be  the  subject  of  a  verb 
{e.g.,  "Fishing  is  tiresome")  ;  the  object  of  a  verb  (e.g.,  "  I 
hate  fishing")  ;  the  object  of  a  preposition  (e.g.,  "I  have  an 
aversion  to  fishing");  a  predicate  noun  (e.^.,  "What  I  most 
detest  is  fishing")  ;  an  appositive  (e.g.,  "That  detestable  amuse- 
ment, fishing,  I  cannot  endure");  or  an  absolute  noun  (e.g.^ 
"  Fishing  being  my  aversion,  let  us  not  fish"). 

Gerund  phrase.     See  Phrase. 

Govern.  The  relation  between  a  verb  and  its  object  may  be  stated  either 
by  saying  that  the  substantive  is  the  object  of  the  verb,  or  by 
saying  that  the  verb  governs  the  substantive.  Likewise  the  rela- 
tion between  a  preposition  and  its  object  may  be  stated  by  saying 
that  the  preposition  governs  the  substantive.  A  clause,  whether 
principal  or  subordinate,  on  which  another  clause  depends,  is  said 
to  govern  the  latter  clause.  In  the  sentence  "  She  wept  when 
she  saw  the  injury  that  had  been  done,"  the  clause  "she  wept" 
governs  the  clause  "  when  she  saw  the  injury,"  and  the  latter 
clause  governs  the  clause  "  that  had  been  done." 

Grammar.  The  science  that  deals  with  (1)  the  classification  of  words 
with  reference  to  the  functions  they  perform  in  discourse  (see 


202  APPENDIX  B 

Parts  of  speech)  ;  (2)  the  inflection  of  words  (see  Inflection)  ; 
and  (3)  the  relations  that  words  bear  to  one  another  in  discourse 
(see  Syntax).  Grammar  is  distinguished  from  rhetoric  by  the 
following  fact :  The  statements  comprising  the  science  of  gram^ 
mar  tell  us  how  words  may  be  inflected,  used  singly,  and  combined. 
The  statements  comprising  the  science  of  rhetoric  tell  us  how 
words  should  be  used  and  combined  in  order  to  make  discourse 
clear  and  effective. 

Indefinite  pronoun.  The  words  each^  either^  neither^  some,  any,  many, 
few,  all,  both,  one,  none,  aught,  naught,  somebody,  something, 
somewhat,  anybody,  anything,  everybody,  everything,  nobody, 
and  nothing,  when  they  are  used  as  substantives,  are  called  in- 
definite pronouns. 

Indicative.  The  set  of  inflectional  forms  and  of  combinations  with  aux- 
iliary verbs  that  a  speaker  uses  when  he  conceives  the  action  of  a 
verb  as  a  fact,  is  not  the  same  as  the  set  he  uses  when  he  conceives 
the  action  as  doubtful.  Compare,  for  example,  the  sentences 
"  He  is  a  coward"  and  "If  he  be  a  coward,  he  should  be  dis- 
missed." The  former  set  is  called  the  indicative  mode  of  a  verb; 
the  latter  the  subjunctive  mode.  The  indicative  and  subjunctive 
forms  of  a  typical  verb  are  shown  on  pages  213  ff. 

Indirect  question.    See  Direct  quotation. 

Indirect  quotation.    See  Direct  quotation. 

Infinitive.  That  inflectional  form  of  a  verb  which  may  be  combined 
with  to  (as  in  the  sentences  "  To  err  is  human,"  "  I  wish  to  go," 
''He  refused  to  move,"  "It  is  impossible  to  see")  is  called  an 
infinitive  when  it  is  used  in  one  of  the  following  ways :  (1)  in 
combination  with  to,  as  illustrated  above  ;  (2)  in  combination 
with  an  auxiliary  verb  {e.g.,  "  I  will  go,"  "  I  can  see  ")  ;  (3)  as 
the  predicate  of  a  substantive,  the  whole  predication  being  the 
object  of  another  verb  {e.g.,  "It  made  me  gasp,"  "I  saw  him 
smile");  (4)  in  one  of  the  constructions  of  a  substantive  (^.^., 
"Do  you  dare  go  in?"  in  which  "go"  is  the  object  of 
"dare").  The  word  to,  when  it  is  combined  with  an  infinitive 
is  not  a  preposition  ;  it  is  merely  a  sort  of  prefix,  serving  no 
grammatical  purpose  except  to  show  that  the  verb-form  following 
is  an  infinitive.  For  this  reason  it  is  called  the  sign  of  the  infinitive 
or  the  infinitive-sign.  The  infinitive-sign  is  not  a  necessary  part 
of  the  infinitive.  In  the  sentences  "  I  cannot  see,"  "  I  dare 
go,"  "  Will  you  come  ?  "  "I  heard  the  clock  strike,"  "  You  had 
better  speak,"  the  words  "see,"  "go,"  "come,"  "strike,"  and 
"  speak"  are  infinitives,  though  the  infinitive-sign  does  not  accom- 
pany them.  In  mentioning  an  infinitive,  the  infinitive-sign  may 
with  equal  correctness  be  put  before  the  infinitive  or  be  omitted  ; 
thus  we  may  say  either  "  The  verbs  to  stand  and  to  sit  are  intransi- 


APPENDIX   B  203 

tive,"  or  "The  verbs  stand  and  siY  are  intransitive." — The  use 
of  infinitives  in  various  substantive  constructions  is  an  important 
matter  for  the  student  to  understand.  An  infinitive  may  be 
used  (1)  as  the  subject  of  a  verb  {e.g.^  "  To  read  history  is  in- 
structive") ;  (2)  as  the  object  of  a  verb  (e.^.,  "I  like  to  read 
history")  ;  (3)  as  a  predicate  noun  {e.g.^  *'An  instructive  occu- 
pation is  to  read  history");  (4)  as  an  appositive  {e.g.^  "It  is 
instructive  to  read  history");  (5)  as  an  absolute  noun  {e.g.^ 
"To  read  history  being  so  instructive,  let  us  read  it  ")  ;  (6)  as 
an  adverbial  noun  {e.g.,  "  History  is  instructive  to  read"). 

Infinitive-sign.     See  Infinitive. 

Inflection.  Change  in  the  form  of  a  word  to  show  variation  of  meaning 
(as  with  inflections  of  number,  comparison,  and  tense),  or  to 
show  the  relation  of  a  word  to  another  word  (as  with  the  inflec- 
tions of  case  and  person).  The  inflection  of  substantives  is  called. 
declension,  that  of  adjectives  and  adverbs  comparison  (g.v.)?  ^^^^ 
that  of  verbs  conjugation.  The  various  forms  that  a  word  re- 
ceives in  inflection  are  its  inflectional  forms  ;  e.g.,  love,  lovest, 
loveth,  loved,  lovedst,  and  loving  are  the  inflectional  forms  of 
the  verb  to  love;  man,  man''s,  men,  men''s,  are  the  inflectional 
forms  of  the  noun  man;  see  also  the  tables  under  Substantive 
and  opposite  Verb. 

Intensive.  The  pronouns  myself,  thyself,  himself,  herself,  itself  our- 
selves,  yourselves,  yourself  themselves,  and  oneself  when  they 
are  used  in  apposition,  are  called  intensives  {e.g.,  "I  myself  will 
do  it,"  "He  saw  the  bishop  himself").  When  they  are  used 
as  the  object  of -a  verb  and  designate  the  same  person  or  thing  as 
the  subject  of  that  verb,  they  are  called  reflexives  {e.g.,  "  I  hurt 
myself,"  "  They  benefit  themselves  "). 

Interjection.  A  word  that  expresses  emotion  and  that  has  no  syntactic 
relations  with  other  words;  e.g.,  oh,  alas,  ha,  ah,  hello,  hurrah^ 
huzza. 

Interrogative  pronoun.  The  words  who,  what,  which,  and  whether 
(archaic),  when  they  are  used  as  substantives  and  in  an  interrog- 
ative sense  {e.g.,  "Who  are  you?"  "What  do  you  want?" 
"Which  do  you  choose?"  "Whether  of  the  twain  is  justi- 
fied?"), are  called  interrogative  pronouns.  What  and  which, 
when  they  are  used  as  adjectives  and  in  an  interrogative  sense 
{e.g.,  "  What  song  did  you  sing?"  "Which  book  do  you 
choose  ?"),  are  called  interrogative  adjectives. 

Intransitive.    See  Transitive. 

Irony.  The  suggestion  of  a  thought  or  fact  by  an  expression  which,  if 
taken  literally,  would  convey  the  opposite  of  what  is  meant. 
"  You  are  very  kind,"  spoken  in  a  certain  tone  to  a  bully  who 


204  APPENDIX   B 

has  been  abusing  the  speaker,  is  irony.  In  the  expression  ' '  ar- 
senic, corrosive  sublimate,  prussic  acid,  and  other  mild  and 
harmless  drugs  "  the  italicized  words  are  ironical.  —  Sarcasm,  as 
applied  to  discourse,  is  contemptuous,  taunting,  or  intentionally 
irritating  discourse.  Sarcasm  may  or  may  not  be  ironical,  and 
irony  may  or  may  not  be  sarcastic. 

Limit.  The  object  of  a  verb  is  said  to  limit  the  verb  ;  the  object  of  a 
preposition  is  said  to  limit  the  preposition  ;  and  any  modifier  is 
said  to  limit  the  element  it  modifies. 

Metaphor.  The  denoting  of  a  person  or  thing  or  the  stating  of  a  thought 
or  fact  by  the  use  of  an  expression  which,  if  taken  literally,  would 
designate  not  what  is  meant  but  something  resembling  it,  is  called 
metaphor,  or  is  said  to  be  metaphorical ;  e.g.^  (a)  "  These  words 
cut  me  to  the  heart."  A  single  word  or  expression  used  meta- 
phorically is  said  to  be  a  metaphor;  e.g.,  the  word  cut  in  ex- 
ample a  and  the  italicized  words  in  the  following  sentences  are 
metaphors:  (&)  "He  poured  out  a  flood  of  eloquence."  (c) 
"  That  is  a  knotty  problem."  —  An  explicit  statement  that  a  per- 
son or  thing  or  fact  is  like  another  is  a  simile  ;  e.g.,  (d)"  The  en- 
emy are  fleeing  like  frightened  rabbits."  — Metaphor  and  simile 
both  show  resemblance, — metaphor  by  suggestion  or  implication, 
simile  by  explicit  statement  (usually  by  the  use  of  like,  as,  seem, 
or  some  other  such  word).  For  this  reason  any  metaphor  may 
be  changed  to  a  simile,  and  vice  versa.  The  metaphors  in  a,  by 
and  c,  above,  may  be  changed  to  similes  thus :  (a)  "  On  hearing 
these  words,  I  felt  as  if  I  had  been  cut  to  the  heart."  (b)  "  Elo- 
quence seemed  to  pour  like  a  flood  from  his  lips."  (c)  "It  is  as 
difficult  to  deal  with  that  problem  as  it  is  to  saw  a  knotty  log." 
And  the  simile  in  example  d  may  be  changed  to  a  metaphor  thus: 
((?)  "  The  enemy  are  fleeing  —  the  frightened  rabbits  1 " 

Mode.  A  mode  of  a  verb  is  that  set  of  inflectional  forms  and  verb- 
phrases  which  a  speaker  uses  to  represent  the  action  of  the  verb 
in  a  certain  mode  (i.e.,  manner).  The  set  which  he  uses  to  rep- 
resent the  action  as  a  fact  is  the  indicative  mode;  that  which  he 
uses  to  represent  the  action  as  doubtful,  the  subjunctive  mode ; 
that  which  he  uses  to  represent  the  action  as  conditioned  on 
something,  the  conditional  mode  ;  that  which  he  uses  to  represent 
the  action  as  permitted  or  possible,  the  potential  mode ;  tliat 
which  he  uses  to  represent  the  action  as  obligatory,  the  obligative 
mode;  that  which  he  uses  in  giving  a  command,  the  imperative 
mode  ;  that  which  he  uses  when  he  employs  the  verb  as  a  sub- 
stantive, the  infinitive  mode  (the  forms  constituting  this  mode  are 
called  some  infinitives  and  others  gerunds)  ;  that  which  he  uses 
when  he  employs  the  verb  as  an  adjective,  the  participial  mode  (the 
forms  constituting  this  mode  are  called  participles).  The  indic- 
ative, subjunctive,  conditional,  potential,  obligative,  and  impera* 


APPENDIX   B  205 

tive  modes  are  called  finite  modes  ;  the  others,  non-finite  modes. 
(See  also  Indicative,  Infinitive,  Gerund,  and  Participle.)  The 
different  modes  of  a  typical  verb  are  shown  on  pages  213  ff.i 

Modifier.    See  Modify. 

Modify.  A  word  which,  by  being  combined  in  discourse  with  another 
word  or  expression,  is  made  to  mean  something  different  from 
what  it  would  mean  if  it  stood  alone,  is  said  to  be  modified  by 
that  other  word  or  expression.  Thus,  the  meaning  of  the  sen- 
tence ''I  dislike  oranges"  is  changed  if  we  insert  sour,  so  that 
the  sentence  reads  "I  dislike  sour  oranges"  ;  it  is  changed  be- 
cause "  sour  oranges  "  means  something  different  from  ^'oranges"  ; 
*'sour"  is  therefore  said  to  modify  (i.e.,  change)  ''oranges." 
Likewise  "  many  men  "  and  "  few  men  "  mean  something  differ- 
ent from  "  men  " ;  "many  "  and  "few"  modify ''men."  "Call 
softly"  means  something  different  from  "call";  "softly" 
modifies  "call."  "I  hate  women  who  use  slang"  means  some- 
thing different  from  "  I  hate  women  "  ;  *'  who  use  slang  "  modi- 
fies "women."  A  word  or  expression  which  thus  changes  the 
meaning  of  another  word  is  called  a  modifier.  —  The  modifiers  of 
substantives  are  adjectives  (including  participles),  adjective 
phrases,  adjective  clauses,  appositives,  and  substantives  in  the 
possessive  case.  The  modifiers  of  adjectives,  verbs,  and  adverbs 
are  adverbs,  adverb-phrases,  adverbial  clauses,  and  adverbial  sub- 
stantives. Vocatives  and  absolute  phrases  may  be  considered 
modifiers  of  predications. 

Monosyllabic.    See  Monosyllable. 

Monosyllable.  A  word  of  one  syllable  {e.g.^  word^  one,  stop^  strength) 
is  said  to  be  a  monosyllable,  or  to  be  monosyllabic. 

Nominative.     See  Case. 

Noun.     See  Substantive. 

Number.  When  a  substantive  is  in  an  inflectional  form  which  shows 
that  one  person  or  thing  is  designated  (^e.g.^  hoy,  boy'*s),  it  is  said 
to  be  in  the  singular  number  ;  when  in  an  inflectional  form  which 
shows  that  more  than  one  person  or  thing  are  designated  (e.g., 
hoys^  hoys'')  it  is  said  to  be  in  the  plural  number.  The  forms 
constituting  the  singular  and  plural  numbers  of  typical  nouns 
and  of  the  principal  inflected  pronouns  are  shown  in  the  ta- 

1  The  classification  of  certain  verb-phrases  as  the  conditional  mode,  the 
potential  mode,  and  the  obligative  mode  has  been  adopted  here  and  in 
the  paradigm  on  pp.  213  ff.,  upon  considerations  which  seem  to  me  to  out- 
weigh the  objections  that  may  properly  be  made  on  philological  grounds. 
These  considerations  are  stated  in  Whitney's  Essentials  of  English  Gram- 
mar, pp.  120  ff.,  particularly  126;  and  MacEwan's  The  Essentials  of  t)\^ 
English  Sentence^  p.  53. 


206  APPENDIX  B 

bles  under  Substantive.  When  a  verb  is  in  an  inflectional  form 
properly  used  with  a  singular  subject  (e  g.^  am,  ivas,  takes,  goest)y 
the  verb  is  said  to  be  in  the  singular  number  ;  when  in  a  form 
properly  used  with  a  plural  subject  (e.g.,  are,  were,  take,  go),  it 
is  said  to  be  in  the  plural  number.     (See  pages  213  ff.) 

Object.  A  substantive  used  in  connection  with  a  verb  and  designating 
the  person  or  thing  upon  whom  or  which  the  action  of  the  verb 
is  represented  as  taking  effect  is  called  the  object  of  the  verb. 
In  the  following  sentences  the  italicized  words  are  the  objects  of 
the  respective  verbs:  "I  built  a  house,'''*  "I  wrote  a  letter,^'' 
*'  Whom  do  you  wish  ?  "  A  substantive  that  designates  the  person 
or  thing  directly  affected  by  the  action  of  a  verb  (as  the  objects 
in  the  foregoing  examples  do)  is  called  a  direct  object ;  one  that 
designates  the  person  or  thing  indirectly  affected  is  called  an 
indirect  object ;  e.g.,  the  italicized  words  in  the  sentences  follow- 
ing: "I  built  my  wife  a  house,"  "I  wrote  him  a  letter."  — 
Regarding  the  object  of  a  preposition,  see  Preposition. 

Objective.     See  Case. 

Part  of  speech.  A  part  of  speech  is  a  body  of  words  all  of  which  per- 
form the  same  function  in  discourse.  The  parts  of  speech  generally 
recognized  by  grammarians,  as  the  classes  into  which  all  words 
in  the  English  language  are  divided,  are  eight  in  number  ;  viz.., 
nouns,  pronouns,  adjectives,  verbs,  adverbs,  prepositions,  cou' 
junctions,  and  interjections. 

Participle.  The  word  participle  as  ordinarily  used  means  a  verb-form 
like  moving  or  moved,  when  that  form  is  used  with  the  value  of 
an  adjective,  as  in  "We  are  moving  today,  "The  piano  has 
been  moved."  For  further  information,  see  Gerund,  Mode,  and 
Verb. 

Passive.     See  Voice. 

Past  tense.    See  Tense. 

Past-perfect.     See  Tense. 

Perfect.    See  Tense. 

Person.  The  words  I  (with  its  inflectional  forms,  —  me.  we,  etc. ;  see 
the  tables  under  Substantive),  myself,  ourselves,  and  the  relative 
loho,  when  its  antecedent  is  one  of  the  foregoing  words,  are  called 
pronouns  of  the  first  person.  The  words  thou  (with  its  inflec- 
tional forms, —  thee,  you,  etc.;  see  Substa.ntiye),  thyself,  yottr- 
self,  yourselves,  and  the  relative  who,  when  its  antecedent  is  one 
of  the  foregoing  words,  are  called  pronouns  of  the  second  person. 
The  relative  who,  when  used  otherwise  than  as  above  mentioned, 
all  other  pronouns  than  those  above  mentioned,  and  all  nouns,  are 


APPENDIX  B  207 

said  to  belong  to  the  third  person.  —  A  verb-form  or  verb-phrase 
that  may  correctly  be  used  with  a  subject  in  the  first  person  is  said 
to  belong  to  the  first  person  of  the  verb  (e.^.,  am,  are  hound)  ; 
one  that  may  correctly  be  used  with  a  subject  in  the  second  per- 
son is  said  to  belong  to  the  second  person  of  the  verb  {e.g. ,  art^ 
hast  gone)  ;  one  that  may  correctly  be  used  with  a  subject  in 
the  third  person  is  said  to  belong  to  the  third  person  of  the  verb 
(e.^.,  IS,  does,  has  gone).  (See  pages  213  ff.)  —  Discourse  is  said 
to  be  in  the  first  person  when  the  speaker  designates  himself  by 
pronouns  of  the  first  person  (e.g.,  the  Twenty-third  Psalm)  ;  in 
the  second  person  when  the  speaker  addresses  some  person  or 
thing,  using  pronouns  of  the  second  person  (e.g.,  the  Lord's 
Prayer);  in  the  third  person  when  neither  pronouns  of  the  first 
person  nor  pronouns  of  the  second  person  are  used  (e.g.,  the 
first  two  letters  on  page  136). 

Personal  pronouns.  The  words  /,  thou,  he,  she,  and  it,  together  with 
their  inflectional  forms  (see  the  tables  under  Substantive)  are 
called  personal  pronouns. 

Phrase.  The  term  phrase  is  often  used  to  mean  any  short  group  of 
words  ;  as  "the  slang  phrase  'That's  hard  fines.'  "  But  as  the 
term  is  used  in  grammar,  a  phrase  is  a  group  of  words  not  con- 
stituting or  containing  a  predication.  A  verb-phrase  is  a  combina- 
tion of  a  principal  verb  and  one  or  more  au^^iliaries  that  is 
analogous  to  a  single  inflectional  form  (e.g.,  has  gone,  shall  have 
done).  A  preposition-phrase  is  a  combination  of  words  analogous 
to  a  single  preposition  (e.g.,  in  regard  to,  as  for).  An  adjective- 
phrase  is  a  phrase  used  to  modify  a  substantive  (e.g.,  "  A  machine 
of  great  value  ").  An  adverb-phrase  is  a  phrase  vised  analogously 
to  an  adverb  (e.g.,  "  He  fell  into  the  icater^'').  Any  phrase  con- 
sisting of  a  preposition  and  its  object  is  a  prepositional  phrase  (a 
term  not  to  be  confused  with  preposition-phrase)  ;  e.g.,  the  ad- 
jective and  adverb  phrases  above  quoted  are  prepositional  phrases. 
A  participial  phrase  is  a  phrase  consisting  of  a  participle  and  its 
adjuncts  (e.g.,  ''^Looking  to  the  north,  I  saw  the  lake").  A 
gerund-phrase  is  a  prepositional  phrase  in  which  the  preposi- 
tion governs  a  gerund  (e.g.,  in  talking,  instead  of  shooting). 
Concerning  absolute  phrases,  see  Absolute. 

Plural.     See  Number. 

Possessive  adjective.  The  words  my,  mine,  our,  ours,  thy,  thine,  your, 
yours,  his,  her,  hers,  its,  their,  theirs,  and  whose  are  called  pos- 
sessive adjectives,  or  possessives,  as  well  as  inflectional  forms  ol 
the  personal  pronouns. 

Possessive  case.     See  Case. 

Predicate.     See  Subject. 


208  APPENDIX   B 

Predicate  adjective.     See  Predicate  substantive. 

Predicate  complement.     See  Predicate  substantive. 

Predicate  substantive.  A  substantive  designating  what  a  verb  asserts 
a  person  or  thing  to  be,  is  a  predicate  substantive  (e.g.^  "  He  is 
a  carpe?i^er,"  "  These  are  strawberries''^).  An  adjective  desig- 
nating a  quality  which  a  verb  asserts  belongs  to  a  person  or  thing 
is  a  predicate  adjective  (e.g.^  "He  is  skillful,''^  "These  berries 
are  sweet ''^).  A  predicate  substantive,  or  a  predicate  adjective, 
or  a  phrase  or  clause  used  as  the  one  or  the  other,  is  said  to  be 
the  predicate  complement  of  the  verb  it  completes. 

Predication.  Any  group  of  words  consisting  of  a  single  subject  and 
predicate,  whether  a  simple  sentence  or  a  clause. 

Preposition.  A  word  used  to  show  the  relation  of  a  substantive  to 
another  word  ;  e.g..,  in,  o?i,  into,  toward,  from,  for,  against,  of 
between,  with,  without,  within,  before,  behind,  under,  over,  above, 
among,  at,  by,  around,  about,  through,  throughout,  beyond,  across, 
along,  beside.  A  preposition  always  requires  to  complete  its 
meaning  a  substantive,  with  which  it  combines  into  what  is  felt 
to  be  a  unit  of  expression  ;  e.g.,  "in  the  water,"  "into  the 
house,"  "among  the  leaves,"  "behind  the  house."  This  fact 
distinguishes  prepositions  from  adverbs,  which  do  not  require  a 
substantive  to  complete  them;  e.g.,  "Go  out,"  "Come  in," 
"Please  walk  before."  (I7i,  before,  on,  for,  but,  across,  and 
many  other  English  words  belong  each  one  to  several  parts  of 
speech  ;  there  is  a  preposition  across  and  an  adverb  aci'oss,  a 
preposition  for  and  a  conjunction  for,  etc.)  For  the  distinction 
between  prepositions  and  conjunctions,  see  Conjunction.  The 
substantive  combined  with  a  preposition  in  the  manner  illustrated 
above  is  called  the  object  of  the  preposition. 

Preposition-phrase.     See  Phrase. 

Prepositional  phrase.     See  Phrase. 

Present.     See  Tense. 

Principal  clause.     See  Clause. 

Principal  parts.  The  principal  parts  of  any  verb  are  (1)  the  present 
infinitive,  (2)  the  past  first  singular,  and  (3)  the  past  participle 
(see  Verb);  e.g.,  flee,  fled,  fled;  choose,  chose,  chosen;  love, 
loved,  loved;  set,  set,  set. 

Principal  verb.  A  verb  not  used  as  an  auxiliary,  including  the  aux- 
iliaries themselves  when  they  are  used  independently  (e.^.,  "1 
have  a  boat,"  "  He  did  wonders  "). 

Pronoun.     See  Substantive. 


APPENDIX  B  209 

Proper  name.     See  Common  noun. 

Proper  noun.     See  Common  noun. 

Relative  adjectives.     See  Relative  pronoun. 

Relative  clause.     See  Adjective  clause. 

Relative  pronoun.  The  words  that,  who,  what,  which,  ivhoever,  whatever, 
and  whichever,  when  they  are  used  as  substantives  and  in  such 
a  way  that  the  clauses  in  which  they  stand  are  made  adjective 
clauses  (q.v.),  are  called  relative  pronouns.  The  words  what, 
which,  whatever,  and  whichever,  when  they  are  used  as  adjec- 
tives and  in  such  a  way  that  the  clauses  in  which  they  stand 
are  made  adjective  clauses,  are  called  relative  adjectives. " 

Rhetoric.     See  Grammar. 

Sentence.  The  word  sentence  means  (1)  a  group  of  words  composed 
of  a  subject  (with  or  without  adjuncts)  and  a  predicate  (with 
or  without  adjuncts)  and  not  grammatically  dependent  on  any 
words  outside  itself  (e.g.,  *'I  will  go,"  ''  I,  being  the  person  best 
acquainted  with  the  situation,  will  go  as  soon  as  the  carriage  which 
I  ordered  has  come");  or  (2)  two  or  more  such  groups  joined 
by  coordinating  conjunctions  or  presented  in  such  a  way  as  to 
show  that  they  are  to  be  taken  as  a  unit.  A  sentence  of  type  2  is 
called  a  compound  sentence.  Sentences  of  type  1  are  divided 
into  two  classes,  —  simple  sentences  and  complex  sentences. 
All  sentences  are  therefore  usually  said  to  fall  into  three  classes, 
simple,  complex,  and  compound.  These  are  described  in  this 
vocabulary  under  their  several  names. 

Sentence-element.  A  subject,  a  predicate,  a  predicate  substantive  or 
adjective,  an  absolute  phrase,  a  modifier,  a  clause,  or  any  other 
unit  of  sentence-structure.  Any  sentence-element  other  than  a 
principal  clause  falls  under  the  term  subordinate  sentence- 
element,  as  used  in  this  book. 

Sign  of  the  infinitive.     See  Infinitive. 

Simile.    See  Metaphor. 

Simple  conjunction.     See  Conjunction. 

Simple  sentence.  A  sentence  composed  of  only  one  subject  and  predl- 
cate  and  not  containing  a  dependent  clause  ;  e.g.,  *'  He  seized  the 
hammer,"  "Taking  off  his  coat  and  rolling  up  his  sleeves,  he 
seized  the  heavy  sledge-hammer  in  his  strong  hands,  swung  it 
high  above  his  head,  and  brought  it  down  with  irresistible 
force,  shattering  to  pieces  the  priceless  cabinet,  the  heirloom 
handed  down  through  five  generations.'* 

Singular.     See  Number. 


210  APPENDIX  B 

Subject.  A  substantive  combined  in  discourse  with  a  verb  (except  a 
gerund  or  a  participle)  and  representing  the  person  or  tiling 
regarding  which  the  verb  asserts  something  is  called  the  subject 
of  the  verb  ;  and  the  verb,  in  turu,  is  called  the  predicate  of  the 
substantive,  or  is  said  to  be  predicated  of  the  substantive. 
Thus,  in  the  expression  "He  goes,"  "he"  is  the  subject  of 
"goes,"  and  "goes  "  is  the  predicate  of  "  he."  The  words  sub- 
ject and  predicate  are  often  (in  this  book  and  elsewhere)  used 
to  designate  respectively  a  subject  and  a  predicate,  as  above  de- 
fined, together  with  any  adjuncts  they  may  have.  Thus  in  the 
sentence  "  The  ploughman  homeward  plods  his  weary  way," 
the  phrase  "  the  ploughman  "  may  be  said  to  be  the  subject  and 
the  phrase  "homeward  plods  his  weary  way"  the  predicate; 
or  the  noun  "  ploughman  "  alone  may  be  said  to  be  the  subject 
and  the  verb  "  plods  "^  the  predicate. 

Subjunctive.     See  Mode  and  also  Indicative. 

Subordinate  clause.     See  Clause. 

Subordinate  sentence-element.     See  Sentence-element. 

Substantive.  A  substantive  is  a  word  by  which,  as  by  a  name,  some 
person  or  thing  is  called;  e.g.^  maji,  house,  happiness,  beauty, 
song,  speech^  Jupiter,  Charlemagne,  lie,  she.  A  few  substantives 
are  called  pronouns  ;  these  are  as  follows :  /,  thou,  he,  she,  it,  and 
their  compounds  ending  in  self  or  selves;  this,  that;  loho,  xohat, 
which,  ivhether,  and  their  compounds  ending  in  ever,  or  soever; 
each,  either,  neither,  some,  any,  many,  few,  all,  both,  aught, 
naught,  such,  other,  one,  none,  and  a  few  others.  The  pronouns 
are  divided  into  five  classes  :  personal,  demonstrative,  interroga- 
tive, relative,  and  indefinite  pronouns  (see  these  headings  in  the 
Vocabulary).  All  substantives  other  than  pronouns  are  called 
nouns.  —  The  declension  of  typical  nouns  and  of  the  principal  pro- 
nouns that  are  inflected  is  shown  in  the  following  tables : 


Declension  of  Nouns 

Nom, 
Poss, 
Obj. 

Singular 
boy 
boy's 
boy 

Plural 
boys 
boys* 
boys 

Nom, 
Poss. 
Ohj. 

man 

man's 

man 

men 

men's 

men 

Declension  of  Pronouns 

Singular  Plural 

Nom,         I  we 

Poss,  my,  mine  our,  ours 

Obh  me  us 


APPENDIX  B 

Singular 

Plural 

Kom. 
Poss, 
Ohj, 

thou 

thy, thine 
thee 

ye,  you 
your,  yours 
you 

Nora, 
Poss. 
Ohj. 

he 
his 
him 

they 

their,  theirs 

them 

Nom. 
Poss. 
Ohj. 

she 

her,  hers 
her 

they 

their,  theirs 

them 

Nom. 
Poss. 
Ohj. 

it 

its 

it 

they 

their,  theirs 

them 

Nom. 
Poss. 
Ohj. 

who 

whose 

whom 

who 

whose 

whom 

211 


A  substantive  may  be  used  syntactically  in  the  following  ways 
(which  are  explained  in  this  Vocabulary  under  the  appropriate 
headings) :  (1)  as  a  subject,  (2)  as  a  predicate  substantive, 
(3)  as  an  appositive,  (4)  as  a  possessive  substantive,  (5)  as  the 
object  of  a  verb,  (6)  as  the  object  of  a  preposition,  (7)  as  an 
adverbial  substantive,  and  (8)  as  an  absolute  substantive. 

Substantive  clause.  A  clause  may  be  used  as  the  subject  of  a  verb 
(e.g.,  **  That  he  is  a  scholar  is  certain  ");  as  the  object  of  a  verb 
(e.g.,  "I  know  that  he  is  a  scholar)  ;  as  the  object  of  a  preposi- 
tion (e.gr.,  "There  is  no  doubt  as  to  ivhether  he  is  a  scholar''"'); 
as  a  predicate  substantive  (e.g.,  '*  The  truth  is  that  he  is  a 
scholar'*'');  as  an  appositive  (e.g.,  "This  is  certain, — that  he  is 
a  scholar'''');  as  an  adverbial  substantive  {^e.g.,  "I  am  sure  that 
he  is  a  scholar) ;  and  as  an  absolute  substantive  (e.g.  *'  Granted 
that  he  is  a  scholar,  he  may  yet  be  mistaken").  A  clause 
used  in  one  of  these  ways  is  a  substantive  clause. 

Superlative.    See  Comparison. 

Syntactic.     See  Syntax. 

Syntax.  The  relations  that  words,  when  they  are  combined  in  discourse, 
bear  to  one  another  (e.g.,  the  relation  of  *'he"  to  "goes"  in  the 
sentence  "He  goes,"  or  of  "carpenter"  to  "Nelson,"  in  the 
sentence  "  Nelson,  the  carpenter,  is  here  ")  are  called  syntactic 
relations,  or  collectively  syntax.  Syntactic  relations  comprise 
(1)  the  relations  a  single  word  may  bear  to  another  word  or  to  a 
group  of  words  (e.g.,  the  relation  of  a  subject  to  a  verb,  of  an 
adjective  to  a  substantive,  of  a  noun  to  an  adjective-phrase,  of  a 
vocative  substantive  to  a  sentence)  ;  and  (2)  the  relations  a 
predication  may  bear  to  another  predication  (viz.,  the  relation 
between  a  principal  and  a  dependent  clause  and  the  relation 
between  coordinate  clauses). 


212  APPENDIX   B 

Tense.  The  several  sets  of  forms  and  combinations  that  a  verb  has 
when  it  represents  action  as  occurring  at  different  points  of  time 
are  called  its  tenses.  Of  these  sets  there  are  six,  called  respec- 
tively the  present  tense,  the  past  tense,  the  future  tense,  the 
perfect  tense,  the  past-perfect  tense,  and  the  future-perfect 
tense.     The  tenses  of  a  typical  verb  are  shown  on  pages  218  ff. 

Transitive.  A  verb  representing  an  action  that  necessarily  affects  some 
person  or  thing  in  such  a  way  that  the  name  of  that  person  or 
thing  may  be  made  the  direct  object  of  the  verb,  is  called  a  tran- 
sitive verb;  e.g.^  love,  hate,  have,  carry,  build.  A  verb  represent- 
ing an  action  of  such  a  kind  that  a  direct  object  cannot  logically 
be  used  with  the  verb  is  called  an  intransitive  verb;  e.g.,  stand, 
arise,  be,  come,  whimper,  bark,  quarrel.  Many  verbs  may  be 
used  either  transitively  or  intransitively;  e.g.,  "The  fire  burns 
brightly"  ("burns"  is  intransitive);  "He  burns  the  paper" 
("  burns"  is  transitive)  ;  "  The  corn  has  grown  "  ("  has  grown  " 
is  intransitive);  "He  has  grown  a  beard"  ("has  grown"  is 
transitive). 

Verb.  A  word  used  to  assert  an  action,  a  condition,  or  the  undergoing 
of  an  action;  e.g.<,  stand,  strike,  choose,  be,  become,  remain, 
suffer,  undergo. 

The  various  inflections  and  combinations  (see  Voice,  Mode, 
Tense,  Person,  and  Number)  of  a  typical  verb  are  shown  in  the 
table  on  pages  213-218.  The  words  /,  thou,  he,  we,  you,  they,  and 
if  are  inserted  merely  to  show  the  way  in  which  the  forms  they 
precede  are  used  ;  they  should  not  be  regarded  as  necessary  parts 
of  those  forms,  for  they  are  not  parts  at  all.  Words  inclosed  in 
parentheses  are  variants  of  the  words  they  follow. 

Vocative  substantive.  A  substantive  used  in  direct  address.  See  Direct 
address. 

Voice.  A  verb  is  said  to  be  in  the  active  voice  when  it  asserts  that 
the  person  or  thing  represented  by  the  subject  is,  does,  or  under- 
goes something ;  e.g.,  "He  strikes,"  "He  heard,"  "I  see."  A 
verb  is  said  to  be  in  the  passive  voice  when  it  asserts  that  some- 
thing is  done  to  the  person  or  thing  represented  by  the  subject ; 
e.g.,  "He  is  struck,"  "He  was  heard,"  "I  am  seen."  With 
one  exception  all  the  passive  forms  of  any  verb  are  composed  of 
the  several  forms  of  the  auxiliary  to  be,  and  the  past  participle 
of  the  principal  verb ;  the  one  exception  is  the  past  participle 
itself.    See  the  table  opposite. 

Vowel.  The  letters  a,  e,  i,  o,  and  u  are  vowels.  The  letters  b,  c,  <?,  /, 
g,  h,  j,  k,  I,  m,  n,  p,  q,  r,  s,  t,  v,  x,  and  z  are  consonants.  \V  when 
used  as  in  weak,  and  y  when  used  as  in  young,  are  consonants;  w 
v^hen  used  as  in  how,  and  y  when  used  as  in  try  are  vowels. 


APPENDIX  B 


215 


CONJUGATION  OF  THE  VERB  TO  TAKE  i 
Principal  Parts:  take,  took,  taken 


ACTIVE  VOICE 


PASSIVE   VOICE 


Indicative  mode 


Singular 

Plural 

Singular 

Plural 

SIMPLE 

m 

1. 
2. 
8. 

I  take                       we  take 
thou  takest              you  take 
he  takes  (taketh)     they  take 

1. 
2. 
8. 

I  am  taken 
thou  art  taken 
he  is  taken 

we  are  taken 
you  are  taken 
they  are  taken 

EMPHATIC 

2 

s 

1. 

2. 
3. 

1. 
2. 
8. 

I  do  take                  we  do  take 
thou  dost  take         you  do  take 
he   does    (doth)      they  do  take 
take 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  am  taking-              we  are  taking 
thou  art  taking        you  are  taking 
he  is  taking              they  are  taking 

SIMPLE 

u 
* 

1. 
2. 
3. 

I  took                       we  took 
thou  tookest            you  took 
he  took                     they  took 

EMPHATIC 

1. 

2. 

3. 

I  was  taken 
thou  wast  (wert) 

taken 
he  was  taken 

we  were  taken 
you  were  taken 

they  were  taken 

1. 
2. 
8. 

I  did  take                 we  did  take 
thou  didst  take        you  did  take 
he  did  take               they  did  take 

tJLi 

1. 
2. 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  was  taking             we  were  taking 
thou  wast  (wert)     you  were  taking 

taking 
he  was  taking          they  were  taking 

8. 

SIMPLE 

00 
Z 

H 

1. 
2. 

8. 

I  shall  (will)  take     we  shall  (will)  take 
thou  wilt  (Shalt)     you    will    (shall) 

take                          take 
he    wiU     (shall)     they  will    (shall) 

take                          take 

I 

shall  (will)  be  takei 

,  etc 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  shall  (will)  be  taking,  etc. 

*  See  the  explanatory  remarks  under  Verb. 


214 


APPENDIX  B 


ACTIVE  VOICE 


PASSIVE  VOICE 


Indicative  mode  —  continued 


Singular 

Plural 

SIMPLE 

1.  I  have  taken             we  have  taken 

2.  thou  hast  taken        you  have  taken 

3.  he   has    (hath)      they  have  taken 

taken 

I  have  been  taken,  etc. 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  have  been  taking,  etc. 

S 

SIMPLE 

1.  I  had  taken               we  had  taken 

2.  thou  hadst  taken     you  had  taken 
8.  he  had  taken            they  had  taken 

I  had  been  taken,  etc. 

0. 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  had  been  taking,  etc. 

«  2 

SIMPLE 

I  shall  (will)  have  taken,  etc. 

I  shall  (will)  have  been  taken,  etc. 

'^  o 

PROGRESSIVE 

ls 

I  shall  (will)  have  been  taking,  etc. 

Subjunctive  mode 


Singular                    Plural 

Singular 

Plural 

SIMPLE 

1. 
2. 
3. 

if  I  take                    if  we  take 
if  thou  take              If  you  take 
if  he  take                  if  they  take 

1 .  if  I  be  taken 

2.  if  thou  be  taken 
8.  if  he  be  taken 

if  we  be  taken 
if  you  be  taken 
if  they  be  taken 

EMPHATIC 

1. 
2. 
3. 

if  I  do  take               if  we  do  take 
if  thou  do  take         if  you  do  take 
if  he  do  take             if  they  do  take 

PROGRESSIVE 

1. 
2. 
3. 

if  I  be  taking             if  we  be  taking 
if  thou  be  taking     if  you  be  taking 
if  he  be  taking          if  they  be  taking 

APPENDIX   B 


215 


ACTIVE  VOICE 


PASSIVE  VOICE 


Subjunctive  mode  —  continued 


Singular 

Plural 

Singular                    Plural 

SIMPLE 

1.  if  I  took                    if  we  took 

1.  if  I  were  taken         if  we  were  taken 

2.  if  thou  took              if  you  took 

2.  if     thou    were     if  you  were  taken 

8.  if  he  took                  if  they  took 

(wert)  taken 

3.  if  he  were  taken       if  they  were  taken 

u 

EMPHATIC 

u 

1.  if  I  did  take              if  we  did  take 

2.  if  thou  did  take        if  you  did  take 

PL| 

3.  if  he  did  take            if  they  did  take 

PROGRESSIVE 

1.  if  I  were  taking?        if  we  were  taking 

2.  if     thou    were      if  you  were  taking 

(wert)  taking 

3.  if  he  were  taking     if  they  were  taking 

[The  future  subiunctive  is  exactly  like  the  future  indicative,  except  that  shall  and 

will  are  unchanged  throughout ;  e.g.,  if  thou  will  take,  if  thou  shall  be  taken. 

e;^ 

etc.] 

[The  perfect  subjunctive  is  exactly  like  the  perfect  indicative,  except  that  hai)e 
is  unchanged  throughout;  e.g.,  if  thou  have  taken,  if  he  have  been  tak&n, 
etc.] 


[The  past-perfect  subjunctive  is  exactly  like  the  past-perfect  indicative,  except  that 
had  is  unchanged  throughout;  e.g.,  if  thou  had  taken,  if  thou  had  been  taken^ 
etc.] 


[The  future-perfect  subjunctive  is  exactly  like  the  future-perfect  indicative,  except 
that  shall  and  will  are  unchanged  throughout ;  e.g.,  if  thou  will  have  taken,  if 
thou  shall  have  been  taken,  etc.] 


216 


APPENDIX   B 


ACTIVE  VOICE 


PASSIVE  VOICE 


Conditional  mode  ^ 


Singular         1           Plural 

CO 

SIMPLE 

2; 

1.  I  should  (would)     we  should  (would) 

take                           take 

2.  thou    wouldst     you  would 

(shouldst)  take              (should)  take 

3.  he  would  (should)     they  would 

take                               (should)  take 

I  should  (would)  be  taken,  etc. 

PROGRESSIVE 

1  should  (would)  be  taking,  etc. 

fH 

SIMPLE 

I  should  (would)  have  taken,  etc. 

I  should  (would)  have  been  taken,  etc. 

PROGRESSIVE 

Ph 

I  should  (would)  have  been  taking,  etc. 

Potential  mode  ^ 

Singular                    Plural 

SIMPLE 

1.  I    may    or    can     we    may   or  can 

I  may  or  can  be  taken,  etc. 

■H 

take                           take 

2.  thou    mayst    or     you  may  or  can 

canst  take                take 

3.  he   may   or   can     they  may  or  can 

take                          take 

Ah 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  may  or  can  be  taking,  etc. 

SIMPLE 

H 

1.  I  might  or  could      we  might  or  could 

I  might  or  could  be  taken,  etc. 

take                           take 

A 

2.  thou  mightst  or     you    might    or 

H 

couldst  take              could  take 

H 

3.  he  might  or  could     they    might   or 

m 

take                           could  take 

Ai 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  might  or  could  be  taking,  etc. 

1  See  the  footnote  on  page  206. 


APPENDIX   B 


217 


ACTIVE  VOICE 


PASSIVE  VOICE 


Potential  mode  —  continued 


8^ 

SIMPLE 

I  may  or  can  have  taken,  etc. 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  may  or  can  have  been  taking,  etc. 

I  may  or  can  have  been  taken,  etc. 

SIMPLE 

I  might  or  could  have  taken,  etc. 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  might  or  could  have  been  taking,  etc. 

I  might  or  could  have  been  taken,  etc. 

Obligative 

mode  1 

Singular                     Plural 

SI 

SIMPLE 

z. 
a: 

PL. 

1.  I  must,  or  ought     we  must,  or  ought 

to,  take                     to,  take 

2.  thou   must,   or     you  must,  wrought 

oughtest     to,         to,  take 
take 

3.  he  must,  r)r  ought     they    must,    or 

to,  take                     ought  to,  take 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  must,  or  ought  to,  be  taking,  etc. 

I  must,  or  ought  to,  be  take»,  etc. 

SIMPLE 

H 
h 

I  must,  or  ought  to,  have  taken,  etc. 

I  must,  or  ought  to,  have  been  taken,  etc. 

fe 

PROGRESSIVE 

I  must,  or  ought  to,  have  been  taking, 
etc. 

Imperative  mode 


Simple:  take 
Emphatic  :  do  take 
Progressive  :  be  taking 


be  taken 


1  See  the  footnote  on  page  205. 


218 


APPENDIX   B 


ACTIVE  VOICE 


PASSIVE  VOICE 


Infinitive  mode 


i« 


Simple  infinitive  :  to  take 
Progressive  infinitive:  to  be  taking 
Gerund  :  taking 


Infinitive  :  to  be  taken 
Gerund  :  being  taken 


Simple  infinitive  :  to  have  taken 
Progressive  infinitive  ;  to  have  been 

taking 
Gerund  :  having  taken 


Infinitive  :  to  have  been  taken 
Gerund  :  having  been  taken 


Participial  mode 


1. 

H  CO 
cc  Z 

taking 

being  taken 

li 

[There  is  no  past  participle  in  the  active 
voice.] 

taken 

1^ 

Simple  :  having  taken 
Progressive  :  having  been  taking 

having  been  taken 

APPENDIX   C 

A  List  of  Words  that  are  often  Mispronounced 

In  the  case  of  a  few  words  in  the  following  list,  pronuncia- 
tions different  from  those  indicated  in  the  right-hand  column 
are  admitted  by  some  authorities ;  these  words  are  marked 
with  an  asterisk  (*).  The  pronunciations  given  opposite 
such  words  are  those  favored  by  the  great  majority  of  lexicog- 
raphers. In  the  case  of  all  the  words  not  marked  with  an 
asterisk,  the  pronunciations  indicated  are  the  only  correct 
ones. 

The  accentual  and  diacritical  marks  are  not  intended  to 
give  an  exhaustive  description  of  the  pronunciation  of  each 
word,  but  only  to  point  out  common  errors.  Of  the  signs 
that  are  not  self-explanatory  the  meanings  are  shown  in  the 
following  table : 

5  is  pronounced  like    a  in  at. 

a  is  pronounced  like    a  in  mate. 

a  is  pronounced  like    a  in  climate. 

a  is  pronounced  like    a  in  arm. 

a  is  pronounced  like    a  in  ask. 

6  is  pronounced  like    e  in  men. 
6  is  pronounced  like  ee  in  see. 

e    is  pronounced  like    e  in  the  first  syllable  of  event. 
e    is  pronounced  like    em  fern. 
1     is  pronounced  like    i  in  tin. 
I     is  pronounced  like    i  in  wine. 
5    is  pronounced  like    o  in  lot. 
o    is  pronounced  like    o  in  host. 
u    is  pronounced  like   u  in  bun. 
u    is  pronounced  like   u  in  use. 
u    is  pronounced  like    u  in  unite. 
n    is  pronounced  like   u  in  hull. 
oo  is  pronounced  like  oo  in  tool. 
do  is  pronounced  like  oo  in  foot. 
ou  is  pronounced  as  in  thou. 
zh  is  pronounced  like    z  in  azure. 
219 


Words 

often 

accented 

on  the 

wrong 

syllable 


220 

APPENDIX  C 

abdomen* 

Correct  pronunciation 
ab  do'men 

acclimate 

ac  cli'mate 

acumen 

a  cu'men 

address 

ad  dress' 

admirable 

ad'mirable 

adult 

a  dult' 

alias 

a'lias 

ally* 

alternate  (adjective 

ally' 
and      al  ter'nate 

noun) 

applicable 

ap'plicable 

apropos 
brigand 
choleric 

ap'ro  po' 
brig'and 
kol'eric 

condolence 

con  do'lence 

construe* 

con'strue 

contour* 

con  tour' 

cuckoo 

kook'oo 

despicable 

exquisite 

extant* 

des'picable 

ex'quisite 

ex'tant 

formidable 

for'midable 

gondola 

gon'dola 

grimace 
harass 

gri  mace' 
har'ass 

Herculean 

Her  cu'le  an 

hospitable 
illustrate* 

hos'pitable 
il  lus'trate 

impious 
incognito 
incomparable 
inevitable 

im'pi  ous 
in  cog'nito 
in  com'parable 
in  ev'itable 

inquiry- 
lamentable 

in  qui'ry 
lam'entable 

WORDS  OFTEN  MISPRONOUNCED 


221 


Correct  pronunciation 

misconstrue* 

mis  con's  true 

obligatory* 

ob'ligatory 

pariah* 

pa'riah 

peremptory* 

per'emptory 

pianist* 

pi  an'ist 

piquant 

pek'ant  or  pik'ant 

precedence 

prB  ced'ence 

precedent  (adjective) 

pre  ced'ent 

precedent  (noun) 

pres'  e  dent 

presage  (noun) 

pre'sage  or  pres'age 

presage  (verb) 

pre  sage' 

sepulture 

sep'ulture 

vagary 

va  ga'ry 

Adonis 

A  do'nis 

Words  in 

alma  mater 

alma  ma  ter 

which  cer- 
tain 

altercation* 

altercation 

vowels 

amenable 

a  me'nable 

are 
often 

apparatus 

apparatus 

mispro- 
nounced 

apricot 

apricot 

Basil 

Baz'il 

biographical 

biographical 

biography 

biography 

bouquet 

boo  ka'  or  boo'ka  (not  "bo-'*) 

brooch* 

broch 

brougham 

broo'am  or  broom 

brusque* 

broosk 

cantaloupe* 

can'ta  loop 

chock-full 

Pronounced   as   spelled;  not 
"chuck-fuU." 

choler 

kol'er 

Cleopatra 

Cleopatra 

clique 

klek 

constable 

kun  stable 

222 

APPENDIX  C 

Correct  pronunciation 

coupon 

koo'pon 

courtesan* 

kur  te  zan 

creek 

krek 

crotch 

Pronounced   as   spelled;  not 

"crutch." 

culinary 

kulinary 

defalcate 

de  fal' cate  (not  "-fawl-") 

defalcation 

de  fal  cation  or  def  al  cation 

(not  "-fawl-") 

demise 

de  miz' 

extol* 

ex  tor 

gape*  (verb) 

gap 

garrulous 

garni  lous  (not  "garyulous") 

genealogy 

jen  e  alogy  or  je  ne  alogy 

(not  "  -ology  ") 

genuine 

jen  u  in  (not  "  -in  ") 

ghoul 

gool 

gratis 

gra  tis 

hearth 

harth 

heinous 

ha  nous 

hoof 

hoof 

implacable 

im  pla'eable 

Italian 

I  talyan  (not  "I-") 

joust 

just  or  joost 

jugular 

ju  gu  lar  (not  "jiig-") 

literature 

lit  er  a  ture  (not  "-toor'') 

mineralogy 

min  er  al  ogy  (not  "  -ology '') 

nape 

niip 

PaU  Mall 

Pel  Mel 

panegyric 

pan  e  jir  ic  or  pan  e  jer  ic 

premise  (noun) 

prem'iss 

premise  (verb) 

pre  miz' 

presentation 

prez  entation 

pretty 

prit  ty 

WORDS  OFTEN   MISPRONOUNCED 


223 


Correct  pronunciation 

programme 

pro 'gram  (not  '^-grum") 

quay 

ke 

regular 

reg  yu  lar 

rinse 

Pronounced  as  spelled;  not 
"reuse." 

roily 
roof 

Pronounced  as  spelled;  not 

"rily." 
roof 

root 

root 

route* 

root 

sacrilegious 

sac  ri  le'jus  (not  **  -religious  ") 

salve* 

sav 

simultaneous* 

simultaneous 

sinecure 

si  ne  cure 

sleek 

slek 

slough 

slou 

status 

sta  tus 

trow 

tro 

virulent 

vir>  lent  (not  "-yulent**) 

xylophone 

21  lophone 

zoology 

20  61  ogy  (not  "zoo-") 

aversion 

a  ver  shun  (not  "-zhun") 

Words  in 

designate* 

des  ignate  (not  "dez-*') 

which  cer- 
tain con- 

excursion* 

ex  cur  shun  (not  "-zhun") 

sonants 

flaccid 

flak'sid   (See  Rule  153,  note.) 

are  often 
mispro- 

has (in  expressions  like 

haz  (not  "hass") 

nounced 

He  has  to  go) 

have  (in  expressions  like 

hav  (not  "haf") 

/  have  to  go) 

oleo-margarine 

The  g  is  hard,  as  in  get.  (See 
Rule  153,  note.) 

partner 

Pronounced  as  spelled;  not 
"pard  ner." 

Words, 
from 
which 
certain 
sounds  are 
often  in- 
correctly 
omitted 


Words  to 
which  an 
additional 
sound  is 
often  in- 
correctly 
added 


224                         APP] 

ENDIX   C 

Correct  pronunciation 

Persia 

Per  sha  (not  "-zha") 

Persian 

Per  shan  (not  "-zhan") 

turgid 

tur  jid  (See  Rulo  153,  note.) 

used  (when  followed  by  to) 

uzd  (not  "ust") 

version 

ver  shun  (not  "-zhun") 

with 

The  th  is  pronounced  as  in 

thus. 

auxiliary 

aux  il  i  ary 

February 

Feb  ru  ary 

Messrs.* 

mesh  yerz  or  mes'yerz 

("Messerz"  is  wholly  un< 

authorized.) 

piano-forte 

piano-for'te 

pumpkin 

pump  kin 

almond* 

a  mond 

athlete 

ath'lete 

athletic 

ath  let'ic 

buoy 

bwoi  or  boi 

casualty 

caz'ualty  (not  "-al'i  ty  ") 

cerement 

ser  ment 

column 

kol  um  (not  "-yum") 

conduit 

kon'dit  or  kun'dit 

daguerreotype 

da  ger'o  type 

elm 

One  syllable. 

falcon* 

faw  con 

grievous 

grev'ous 

mischievous 

mis'chcv  ous 

often 

of  en 

poignant* 

poi'nant 

salmon 

sa  mon 

ad  infinitum 

ad  in  fi  ni'tum 

WORDS  OFTEN  MISPRONOUNCED 


225 


charivari 

debut 

dishabille* 

dishe/el 

dramatis  personce 

finis 

foyer  {e.g.,  the  foyer  of 

a  theater) 
gaol 
irrelevant 

larynx 

posthumous 

rendezvous 

sarsaparilla 

sough* 

viz. 


nounced  in 

various 

ways 


vaudeville 


Correct  pronunciation 

sha  re'va  re'  (not  "  shiveree")   Words 

A—\y,  often 

^^  ^^  mispro 

dis'a  bll' 

di  shev'el 

dram 'a  tis  per  so'ne 

fi'nis 

fwa'ya' 

jal 

Pronounced  as  spelled;  not 
"irrevelant." 

lar'inx   or   la'rinx    (not 
"  lar  nix  ") 

post'humous  or  pos'tumous 

ren  de  voo  or  ron  de  voo 

sar  sa  pa  ril  la  (not  "  sass- 
parilla") 

suf 

A  sort  of  arbitrary  sign  for 
the  Latin  word  videlicet 
(pronounced  vi  del'i  set). 
In  reading  viz.  aloud,  say 
either  "videlicet"  or 
"namely"  (the  English 
equivalent  of  videlicet)  j 
do  not  say  "vizz." 

vodVn 


INDEX 


Numbers  refer  to  pages 


Explanations  of  grammatical  and  other  technical  terms  are  in  general  not  cited  below, 
since  they  can  easily  be  found  in  the  alphabetical  vocabulary  on  pp.  196  ff. 

Comments  on  the  spelling,  writing  "  solid"  or  not  "solid,"  hyphening,  and  pronunci- 
ation of  particular  words,  are  in  general  not  cited  under  the  words  ;  such  comments  can 
easily  be  found  through  the  citations  under  Spelling,  Solid,  Hyphen,  and  Pronuncia- 
tion. 


A.D.,  143. 

Abatement,  coherence  of  an,  66. 

Abbreviations,  objectionable,  112  ; 
permissible  in  some  connections, 
113;  of  titles,  113;  in  letters,  129 
ff. ;  of  names  of  cities,  134;  punc- 
tuation with,  90. 

"  About,  at,"  144. 

"  Abreast  of  the  times,"  6. 

Absolute  construction,  not  eupho- 
nious, 58 ;  over-frequent  use  of,  59 ; 
punctuation  with,  90. 

Absolute  phrase,  mistaken  for  sen- 
tence, 12,  191-192. 

Accept  and  except,  150,  190. 

Accordingly,  punctuation  with,  96, 
193. 

Addison,  2. 

Address,  in  the  heading  of  a  letter, 

126;   inside of  letters,  131 ;    on 

envelope,  141. 

Addressee's  title  in  letters,  132,  141. 

Adjectives,  used  for  other  parts  of 
speech,  3-4  ;  and  adverbs,  19  ; 
punctuation  with  series  of,  92. 

Adverbs,  used  for  other  parts  of 
speech,  3-4;  and  adjectives,  19. 

Affect  and  effect,  143,  191. 

Affectation,  i>-ll. 

After,  over-frequent  use  of,  59  ; 
'*  after    having;, "    143. 

Afterthought,  nriarked   by  dash,  99. 

Age,  number  designating,  115. 

Aggravate  f  143. 


Agreement,  grammatical,  14  ff.,  176. 

"  Ain't,"  1. 

"  All  in  all,"  6. 

**  All  is  not  gold,"  7. 

"  All  nature,"  6. 

**  All  the  higher,"  etc.,  143. 

**  All  work  and  no  play,"  7. 

Allusions,  hackneyed,  7. 

Almost,  position  of,  32,  182. 

**  Along  the  line  of,"  etc.,  7,  156. 

''Alright,"  69. 

Also,  misuse  of,  43;  punctuation 
with,  96. 

Alterations  in  Ms.,  89. 

Alternative,  143. 

Amid,  9. 

Anachronous  participles,  23. 

Analogy,  standing  of  words  not  de- 
termined by,  4. 

Analytical  outlines,  121  ff. 

And,  illogical,  41,  42;  too  frequent, 
43;  oblique,  76;  comma  before,  in 
a  series,  92. 

"  And  etc.,"  144. 

♦'  And  oblige,"  131,  134. 

"  And  which,"  41. 

Anent,  144. 

Antecedent,  reference  to,  23  if.,  180; 
parenthesized,  25. 

Anticlimax,  37. 

Any,  misuse  of,  4. 

A7iy  one,  concord  of,  15,  176. 

Any  place,  for  anywhere,  144 

Anybody f  concord  of,  15,  176 


227 


228 


INDEX 


Apostrophe,  use  of,  106 ;  shape  of,  76. 

Appositives,  case  of,  17 ;  punctuation 
with,  90. 

Appreciate,  144. 

Arise,  for  get  up,  9. 

Arnold,  2,  37. 

Arrangement  of  Ms .:  Ms.  as  a  whole, 
77  ;  pages,  77 ;  paragraphs,  78  ff . ; 
writing  verse,  85 ;  extended  quota- 
tions, 87;  tables,  87. 

Articles,  omission  of,  40. 

As  clause  in  double  capacity,  38. 

**  As  luck  would  have  it,"  7. 

As,  misuses  of,  144 ;  case  of  a  sub- 
stantive following,  17,  178. 

As  to,  misuse  of,  40. 

As  well  as,  subject  not  made  plural 
by,  15. 

*'  At  about,"  144. 

Aught,  144. 

*'  Auto,"  4. 

*'  Autobiography  of  my  life,"  55. 

Auxiliaries,  double  use  of,  38. 

Avail,  144. 

Avoidance  of  repetition,  56. 

Awful,  144. 

Awkwardness,  caused  by  colloca- 
tion, 35 ;  by  separating  preposition 
Jrom  object,  36 ;  by  repetition,  56 ; 
by  avoidance  of  repetition,  56;  by 
use  of  absolute  construction,  58; 
by  parenthesizing  antecedent,  25; 
by  double  use  of  auxiliaries,  38; 
by  use  of  passive  voice,  20;  by 
change  of  point  of  view,  31;  by 
overlapping  dependence,  47;  by 
lack  of  balance,  49;  by  improper 
parallelism,  52. 

**  Badger  State,"  7-8. 

Badly,  145. 

Balance,  145. 

Bank  on,  145. 

Barbarisms,  4. 

Barn,  145. 

''  Baseballist,"  4. 

Be,  double  use  of,  38. 

Beg,  145. 

Began  and  begun,  175. 

Besides,  punctuation  with,  96. 

**  Best  laid  plans,  the,"  7. 

Blanks  used  for  names  or  dates,  10. 

"  Blowed,"  175. 

Borrow  and  lend,  145. 


Brackets,  101. 

*'  Breathless  suspense,"  7. 

Bring  forth,  145. 

Broke  and  broken,  175. 

"  Buckeye  State,"  7-8. 

Bunch,  145. 

"  Burglarize,"  4. 

Burke,  2. 

Burns,  possessive  of,  106. 

But,  illogical,  41-42;   too  frequent, 

43 ;  repeated,  44. 
But  that,  but  what,  145. 

"Cablegram,"  4. 

Calculate,  145. 

Can,  for  may,  145. 

Canceling  in  Ms.,  89. 

Canine,  4,  8. 

"  Can't  hardly,"  55,  187. 

''Can't  seem,"  165. 

Capitals,  116  ff.,  195. 

Case,  matters  of,  16  ff.,  177  ff. 

Cause,  illogical  use  of,  146,  186. 

Celia,  mnemonic  word,  68,  189. 

Change  of  point  of  view,  in  sentence, 
31 ;  in  composition,  61,  62. 

Characteristic,  146. 

**  Charge  of,"  146. 

"Cheesery,"  4. 

Clai7n,  147. 

Clauses.  Dependent  :  mistaken  for 
sentences,  12,  191-192;  used  as  ob- 
ject of  preposition ,  16 ;  overlapping, 
47;  introduced  by  when  or  where, 
used  as  predicate  complement,  14; 
introduced  by  when,  misuse  of,  48; 
introduced  by  thanov  as,  elliptical, 
17,  178,  used  in  double  capacity, 
38,  other  or  else  in,  53;  dangling 
elliptical,  28;  modifying,  mis- 
placed, 33;  relative,  position  of, 
33,  "and  which,"  41,  restrictive 
and  non-restrictive,  92,  193;  sub- 
stantive, incongruous  junction  of, 
52 ;  coordinate,  with  common  de- 
pendence, 48,  clearness  of  cooral- 
nation  among,  46.  Principal: 
illogical  use  of,  42;  excessive  use 
of,  43;  consecutive,  introduced 
alike  by  httt  or  for,  44;  introduced 
by  so,  43,  184.  Punctuation  be- 
tween coiirdinate,  when  joined  by 
conjunctions,  95,  when  not  so 
joined,  91 ;  between  principal  and 


INDEX 


229 


dependent,  91;  with  relative,  92; 
before  substantive,  introduced  by 
that  or  hoWf  94. 

Clearness  of  sentences :  reference,  23 
ff.,  180;  relation  of  participles, 
gerunds,  and  elliptical  clauses,  26 
ff.,  181:  order  of  parts,  32  ff.,  181; 
coordination,  44 ;  parallelism,  49  ff. 
Of  whole  compositions:  gained  in 
narration  by  use  of  names,  10 ;  co- 
herence, 65  ff.  Of  paragraphing, 
78  ff.    Of  punctuation,  90  ff. 

Clerk,  used  as  verb,  3. 

Climax,  in  arrangement  of  sentences, 
37 ;  misuse  of  the  word,  146. 

Close  of  a  sentence,  forcible,  36;  with, 
a  preposition,  37. 

Coherence,  between  sentences,  36;  of 
compositions,  65. 

Coincidence,  146. 

Colon,  98. 

Combine,  used  as  noun,  4. 

Comic  writing,  8. 

Comma,  90  ff. 

**  Comma  fault,"  the,  95. 

Common  noun,  elements  of  proper 
names,  capitalized,  117;  improper 
capitalizing  of,  118. 

Company,  misuse  of,  146. 

Comparative  degree,  than  clause 
after  a  word  in  the,  17,  53. 

Comparisons,  uncompleted,  41 ;  with 
than  or  as  clause  used  in  double 
capacity,  38;  illogical,  53. 

"  Complected,"  4,  146. 

**  Completed  the  scene,"  6. 

Compound  sentence,  stringy,  29. 

Conclude,  misuse  of,  146. 

Conclusion,  of  sentences,  forcible,  36 ; 
with  prepositions,  37 ;  of  letters,  134. 

Concrete  narration,  84. 

Concurrence  of  like  sounds  not  eu- 
phonious, 58. 

Conjunctions,  repetition  of  subordi- 
nating, for  clearness,  46;  simple, 
distinguished  from  conjunctive  ad- 
verbs, 96,  199. 

Conjunctive  adverbs,  distinguished 
from  simple  conjunctions,  96; 
punctuation  with,  96. 

Connection,    smooth,    between    sen- 

,  tences,  36 ;  between  parts  of  a  com- 
position, 65,  66;  of  letters  in  a 
word,  76. 


Connective  phrases,  between  parts  of 
a  composition,  65,  66. 

Consequence,  coherent  introduction 
of  a  statement  of,  66. 

Considerable,  misuse  of,  4. 

Constitution,  quotation  from,  36. 

'*  Contact,  those  with  whom  we  come 
in,"  7. 

**  Contemplate  on  or  of,"  146. 

Contemptible  and  contemptuous,  147 

Continual  and  continuous,  147. 

Contractions,  inappropriate  in  formal 
context,  4;  apostrophe  with,  106. 

Contradictory  statement,  coherent 
introduction  of,  &i. 

Contrasting  part,  coherent  introduc- 
tion of,  (jQ. 

Coordination,  ungrammatical,  41; 
"and  which,"  41;  illogical,  42;  ex- 
cessive, 42 ;  clearness  of,  44. 

Correlatives,  51. 

''Could  of,"  159. 

"Couldn't  seem,"  165. 

Counterfeit  humor,  8. 

Cowardly,  used  as  adverb,  4. 

"  Cream  City,  the,"  7. 

Cross-strokes  of  Vs  and  x's,  76. 

Crowd,  ioT  party,  147. 

Crowding  in  Ms.,  73  ff. 

Cunning,  misuse  of,  147. 

Cupid,  7. 

"Cute,"  147. 

Dangling    participles,     26;     gerund 

phrases,  27  ;  elliptical  clauses,  28. 
Dash,  use  of,  98  ff. ;  use  of,  in  place 

of  names  or  dates,  10. 
Data,  147. 
Date,  147. 
Dates,  in  letters,  correct  method  of 

writing,  127, 136 ;  representation  of 

numbers  in,   113;-  represented  by 

dashes,  10. 
Days,  used  as  adverb,  3. 
Deal  (noun),  misuse  of,  147. 
"  Deal  on,"  "  deal  of  "  for  deal  with, 

147. 
"  Dear  friend  "  in  letters,  130. 
Demand,  147. 
Demonstrative  adjectives,  reference 

of,  24  ;  indefinite  use  of,  5. 
Dependent  clauses ;  see  Clauses, 
Depot,  147. 
De  Quincey,  2. 


230 


INDEX 


Determination,  future  of,  20,  180. 

Dialogue,  paragraphing  of,  81,  195; 
punctration  of,  101,  102,  108,  195. 

Dickens,  2;  possessive  case  of  tlie 
name,  106;  Our  Mutual  Frie?id, 
158. 

Diction,  1  ff. 

Dictionaries,  use  of,  3,  4. 

"  Different  than,"  147. 

DineVy  for  dining-car,  148. 

Direct  quotation,  paragraphing  of, 
80  ff.,  195;  punctuation  of,  93,98, 
101,  102,  108,  195. 

"  Discourse  sweet  music,"  6. 

Disinterested,  148. 

Dissimilar  elements  in  series  form, 
52,  186;  incongruous  junction  of, 
51. 

Division,  of  a  word  at  the  end  of  a 
line,  107, 110;  of  words  that  should 
be  w^ritten  *'  solid,"  73. 

Divisions  of  a  composition,  organiza- 
tion of,  62 ;  coherence  between,  65 ; 
paragraphing  of,  78  ff. 

**I)o  away  with,"  148. 

"  Do  justice  to  a  dinner,"  6. 

Done,  misused  as  in  "  I  am  done," 
168 ;  misused  for  didy  174. 

*'  Done  away  with,"  148. 

Don't,  inappropriate  use  of,  4;  un- 
grammatical  use  of,  148;  position 
of  apostrophe  in,  106. 

*'  Doomed  to  disappointment,"  6. 

Dots  of  i's  2a\d.fs,  76. 

Double  capacity,  use  in,  of  auxili- 
aries, 38;  of  to  he,  38;  of  principal 
verbs,  38 ;  of  than  or  as  clauses, 
38;  of  other  modifiers,  39;  of 
nouns,  39 ;  of  to  in  as  to,  etc.,  39. 

Double  negative,  54,  187. 

*'  Dove  "  for  dived,  148. 

Down  used  as  verb,  4,  148. 

Drank  and  drunk,  175. 

Drove  and  driven,  175. 

Drunk,  used  as  noun,  4. 

Due  to,  148. 

Dwell,  dwelt,  9. 

Each,  every,  etc.,  concord  of,  15, 176. 
*'  Each  and  every,"  6. 
Each  other,  148. 
*'  Eating  house,"  148. 
Editorial,  composition  of  an,  63;  edi- 
torial wCf  10, 11. 


Efect  and  affect,  148,  191. 

Effort  for  book,  9. 

E  (/.,  punctuation  with,  107. 

Either,  concord  of,  15;  correct  use 
of,  148. 

"  Electrocute,"  "  electrocution,"  4. 

Elegant,  149. 

Element,  149. 

Eliot,  George,  2. 

Ellipsis  in  letter-writing,  133. 

Elliptical  clauses,  introduced  by 
than  or  as,  17,  178  ;  dangling,  28, 
181. 

Else,  possessive  case  with,  149. 

Emerson,  2. 

Endorse,  149. 

Enjoyable,  6. 

''Enough  that,"  "enough  so  that," 
149. 

"  Enthuse,"  4,  149. 

Envelopes,  kinds  of,  138  ff. ;  enclos- 
ing of  letters  in,  138  If. ;  addresses 
on,  141,  142. 

Equine,  4,  8. 

Erasure  in  Ms.,  89. 

Etc.,  inappropriate  or  vague  use  of, 
149;  "and  etc.,"  150. 

Euphony,  58. 

Evenings,  used  as  adverb,  3. 

Ever,  position  of,  32,  182. 

Every,  concord  of,  15,  17(). 

Every  place,  for  anywhere,  150. 

"  Every  so  often,"  i50. 

"  Everything  went  along  nicely,"  6. 

Except  and  accept,  150,  190. 

Excessive  coordination,  43,  183,  184. 

Exclamation  point,  comma  used  in- 
stead of,  93;  relative  positions  of 
quotation  marks  and,  102. 

Exercises,  in  grammar,  173  ff . ;  in 
sentence-structure,  180  If. ;  in 
spelling,  187  ff. ;  in  punctuating, 
191  ff. ;  in  capitalizing,  195. 

Expect,  misuse  of,  150. 

Expectation,  future  of,  20,  180. 

Extemporized  words,  4. 

Extended  quotations,  position  of,  in 
Ms.,  87. 

Factitive  adjective  or  adverb,  19. 

Factor,  150. 

"Fair  maiden,"  7. 

Falls,  used  as  singular,  150. 

••  Fatal  affray,"  8. 


rNBEX 


231 


Favor,  for  letter,  9, 133 ;  **  esteemed," 
133. 

*•  Favor  with  a  selection,"  6. 

Feature,  150. 

Feline,  4,  8. 

Fiction,  usage  of  recent,  2. 

Fine,  150. 

First  rate,  150. 

'*  Firstly,"  150. 

"  Fistic  encounter,"  8. 

i^^a;,  150,  151. 

Folding  of  letters,  138  ff. 

Folios,  to  be  written  in  Arabic,  77; 
to  be  represented  by  figures,  113. 

For,  introducing  consecutive  sen- 
tences, 44;  comma  before  the 
conjunction,  91. 

Forcible  order  in  sentences,  36. 

Formal  notes  in  third  person,  135. 

Former  and  latter,  150. 

**  Friend  John,"  130. 

Friendly,  used  as  adverb,  4. 

Frighten,  used  as  intransitive,  151. 
V    i^roze  and /rozen,  175. 

Function,  hackneyed  use  of,  7. 

Future  tense,  use  of  shall  and  will  in 
forming,  20 ;  misused  for  present  in 
letters  of  acceptance  or  regret,  136. 

Gaps  between  letters  in  Ms.,  76. 

"  Gent,"  4. 

Gentleman,  151;   gentleman  friend, 

151. 
Geographical     names,     punctuation 

with,  91. 
Gerund,  possessive  case  with,  18. 
Gerund  phrase,  dangling,  27,  181. 
Get,  as  in  '*  get  to  go,"  151;  see  also 

Got, 
Get  up,  for  prepare,  etc.,  151;  arise 

used  for,  9. 
Go  to  bed,  retire  used  for,  9. 
Going  on  (e.g.,  "  five,  going  on  six"), 

151. 
Good,  used  as  adverb,  4. 
Good  usage,  defined,  1 ;    explained, 

1  ff. ;  errors  regarding,  1  fF. 
"  Gopher  State,  the,"  7,  8. 
Got,  have  got,  152. 
Gotten,  got  preferable  to,  152. 
**  Gotten  up,"  152. 
Grammar,  defined,  201 ;  distinguished 

from  rhetoric,   202;    rules  of,  see 

individual  grammatical  terms;  ex- 


ercises in,  173  ff. ;  principal  terms 

of,  explained,  196  ff. 
Grammatical  agreement,  14  ff.,  176, 

177. 
Grand,  152. 
Grip,  152. 
*'  Gripsack,"  152. 
Guess,  152. 

Hackneyed  expressions,  6  ff. 

Had  better,  had  best,  152. 

"  Had  have  "  or  "had  of,"  152. 

"Had  ought,"  160,  176. 

Had  rather,  152. 

Hardly,  position  of,  32;   incorrectly 

used  with  negative,  55, 187. 
**  Has  went,"  175. 
Have,  misuses  of,  152. 
Have  got,  152. 
Hawthorne,  2. 
Heaps,  a  heap,  153. 
"Hear  to  it,"  153. 
Help,  used  for  servants,  etc.,  153. 
"Help  but,"  153. 
Hence,  punctuation  with,  96. 
High-flown  language,  9. 
Hill,  A.  S.,  quoted,  37. 
"Hired  girl,"  153. 
Historical  present,  9. 
Holmes,  O.  W.,  2. 
Home,  misuse  of,  153, 
"Homey,"  4. 
Honorable,  the,  164. 
Hopes,  for  hope^  153. 
Hose,  9. 
Hours  of  the  day,  to  be  spelled  out 

115. 
House  numbers,  113, 126. 
How  clauses  not  to   be  set  off  by 

commas,  94. 
Hovjever,  position  of,  35;  punctuation 

with,  90,  96. 
"Hub,  the,"  7,  8. 
Human,  used  as  noun,  4. 
Humor,  real  and  counterfeit,  8. 
Hung  for  hanged,  153. 
Hustle,  2,  153. 
Hyphen,  107 ;  see  also  Syllabication. 

I,  the  dotting  of,  76. 

/,  properly  used  in  beginning  a  let- 
ter, 134;  too  frequent  use  of,  in 
letters,  134 ;  omission  of,  in  letters, 
134. 


232 


INDEX 


•*I  would  say,*'  "will  say," or  "can 
say,"  134. 

i.e.,  correct  use  of,  153;  punctuation 
with,  107. 

If,  for  ivhether,  154. 

"  Ignorance  is  bliss,"  7. 

Ilk,  154. 

Illogical  comparisons,  53,  64. 

Illogical  coordination,  42,  183, 

"Illy,"  4. 

Implied  reference  of  pronouns,  25. 

"Impressive  sight,"  6. 

Improprieties,  3,  4. 

In,  for  into,  154. 

"  In  a  pleasing  manner,"  6. 

"In  back  of,"  154. 

"  In  evidence,"  6. 

"  In  our  midst,"  157. 

In  regard  to,  misuse  of,  39-40. 

"  In  reply  would  say,"  134. 

"  In  search  for,"  165. 

"In  touch  with,"  7. 

Includmgf  subject  not  made  plural 
by,  15.' 

Incongruous  substantives,  junction 
of  52. 

Indefinite  it,  5;  they,  5;  you,  5;  that 
and  those,  5. 

Indefinite  narrative,  84. 

Indention,  in  paragrapjiing,  78;  in 
writing  verse,  85,  86 ;  in  tabulating, 
87. 

Indirect  discourse,  quotation  marks 
not  to  be  used  with,  101. 

Indirect  questions,  question  mark 
not  to  be  used  with,  98. 

Individual,  154. 

Indorse,  149. 

Indulge,  154. 

"Inferior  than,"  167. 

Infinitive,  case  of  subject  or  predi- 
cate complement  of,   17;    perfect, 
misused  lor  present,  23;   split,  35, 
183;   sign  of,  repeated   for  clear- 
ness, 46. 

Initials  used  for  names  in  narration, 
10. 

Ink,  77,  137. 

Insertion  in  Ms.,  89. 

"  Inside  of,"  154. 

Intensives,  5. 

Interjections,  commas  with,  93. 

Interrogation  point,  after  direct,  not 
indirect    question,    98;    misuse   of 


parenthesized,  98;  relative  post 
tions  of  quotation  marks  and,  102. 

Intervening  words,  obscuring  gram- 
matical subject,  14,  176. 

Introduction,  distinct,  of  the  divisions 
of  a  composition,  65;  paragraphs 
of,  79 ;  misuse  of  the  term  in  ana- 
lytical outlines,  122. 

Invite,  used  as  noun,  4. 

Irony,  203 ;  improper  labeling  of,  98, 
105,  120. 

Irving,  2. 

It,  used  indefinitely,  5. 

Italics,  118£f. 

"  It  seems,"  7. 

Its,  no  apostrophe  with,  106. 

j,  the  dotting  of,  76. 

"Jell,"  4. 

Jocularity  in  newspaper  style,  8. 

Junction,  of  incongruous  substantives 
or  clauses,  52 ;  clearness  of,  secured 
by  repetition,  44  if. ;  mistaken, 
prevented  by  commas,  92. 

Just,  position  of,  32. 

Key-words,    coherence    secured    by 

conspicuous  placing  of,  66. 
"  Kind,  these  or  those,"  155. 
Ki7id  of,  155. 
"  Knights  of  the  pen,"  8. 
"Knowed,"  175. 

Labeling  humor  or  irony,  98, 105,  120. 

Lady,  lady  friend,  151. 

Lady  Clara  Vere  de  Vere,  30. 

Lady  of  Shalott,  The,  185. 

Larger  units  of  discourse,  structure 

of:  unity,  59  ff . ;  organization,  62 

if. ;  coherence,  65,  66. 
"  Last  but  not  least,"  6. 
Latinistic  phrases,  59. 
Latter,  151. 
Lay  and  lie,  155,  173. 
"  Leave  go  of,"  155. 
Legibility,  73  IT. 
Less,  for  feicer,  155. 
Letter-writing,  126  ff. 
Liable,  155. 
Lie  and  lay,  155,  173. 
"  Light  fantastic,"  8. 
Like,  156,  179. 
"Liked,  would,"  156. 
Limb,  9. 


INDEX 


233 


Line,  lines^  figurative  use  of,  7,  156. 

Lines,  for  reinSy  156. 

Literary  ornament,  7. 

Loan,  157. 

Locate,  157. 

Logical  agreement,  53,  186. 

"  Long-felt  want,"  7. 

"Lose  out,"  157. 

Lovely,  157. 

Macaulay,  2,  71. 

Mad,  157. 

*'  Made  a  pretty  picture,"  6. 

**  Make  hay,"  etc.,  7. 

Manuscript,  writing  materials  for, 
77;  legibility  in,  73  ff . ;  arrange- 
ment of  pages  in,  77 ;  paragraphing 
in,  78  ff.:  alterations  in,  88,  89; 
not  to  be  rolled,  77. 

Margin  in  Ms.,  77;  in  letters,  137. 

"May  of,"  159. 

Mean  (adjective),  157. 

Merely,  position  of,  32. 

Messrs.,  129,  159. 

Metaphors,  mixed,  11,  12. 

"  Method  in  his  madness,"  7. 

*Midf  'midst,  9. 

**  Midst,  in  our,"  157. 

*'  Might  of,"  159. 

Military,  used  as  noun,  4. 

Mill,  J.  S.,  2. 

Milton,  quoted,  18. 

Misplaced  modifiers,  82  ff.,  181,182; 
parts  of  a  composition,  64. 

Miss  (title),  158. 

Misspelling ;  see  Spelling. 

Mixed  figures  of  speech,  11, 12. 

Modifiers,  position  of,  32  ff.,  181, 
182. 

**  Monarch  of  all,"  etc.,  7. 

Money,  sums  of,  method  of  repre- 
senting, 114. 

Monosyllables,  not  to  be  broken, 
112. 

Monotony,  of  sentence-structure,  59; 
from  frequent  use  of  I,  134. 

Moreover,  position  of,  35;  punctua- 
tion with,  96. 

Morn,  9. 

Mornings,  used  as  adverb,  3. 

Most  for  almostf  4,  158. 

Mrs.,  158. 

Mushroom,  169. 

**  Music  hath  charms,"  7. 


*'  Musicianly,"  4. 
"  Must  of,"  159. 
Mutual,  159. 
Myself,  for  1,6;  " 


-and  family ,"6. 


Names,  in  narration,  represented  by 

initials  or  dashes,  10;  a  means  to 

clearness  and  smoothness,  10. 
Narration,    unity  of    tense    in,    61; 

unity  of  point  of  view  in,  61,  62; 

use  of  names  in,  10;  concrete  and 

indefinite,  84. 
Naught  and  aught,  144. 
Near  by,  4,  159. 
Nearly,  position  of,  32;  misused  for 

near,  159. 
'Neath,  9. 
Negation,  double,  54,  187;   incorrect, 

with  hardly,  etc.,  55,  187. 
Neither,  correct  use  of,  159 ;  concord 

of,  15,  176;   not  to  be  correlated 

with  or,  160. 
"  Nestled  among  the  hills,"  6. 
Never,  position  of,  32;  misused  for 

not  ever,  33. 
"  Never  put  off,"  etc.,  7. 
Nevertheless,  position  of,  35 ;  punctu- 
ation with,  96. 
Newspapers,  characteristic  style  of, 

2;  mannerisms  of,  7,  8,  57. 
"  Newsy,"  4. 
Nice,  159. 
Nicely  for  well,  19. 
Nicknames,  of  states  and  cities,  7, 8; 

quotation  marks  with,  103,  104. 
Nights,  used  as  adverb,  3. 
No  good,  159. 
No    less    than,    subject    not    made 

plural  by,  15. 
No  one,  concord  of,  15,  176. 
No  place,  for  nowhere,  144. 
No  usCf  159. 

Nobody,  concord  of,  15,  176. 
Nominative  case,  16. 
Not  to  exceed,  159. 
Notorious,  159. 

Nouns,  for  other  parts  of  speech,  3. 
Novelty  of    phrase,    straining    for, 

7,8. 
**  Nowhere  near,"  159. 
Number,  agreement  in,  of  verbs  and 

pronouns  14  ff.,  176. 
Numbers,   method    of    representing, 

113  ff. 


234 


INDEX 


0  and  oh,  69. 

Object  of  a  verb  or  a  preposition,  in 

objective  case,  17. 
Objective  case,  17. 
Observance  and  observation^  159. 
O'er,  9. 

Of  for  ^lave,  159. 
**  Of  ttiree  years  old,"  160. 
"Off  of,"  160. 

**  Officiating  clergyman,"  8. 
Oft,  ofttimes,  oftentimes,  9. 
"  Old,  of  three  years,"  160. 
Omission,    of    articles    and    posses- 

sives,  40;   of   prepositions,  40;   of 

part  of  a  statement  of  comparison, 

41. 
On  the  side,  160. 
*'  On  this  particular  day,"  6. 
One,  preferable  to  you,  5;   concord 

of,  15,  176;  not  to  be  preceded  by 

a,  160. 
**  Ones,  the,"  160. 
Only,  position  of,  32,  182;    use  of  a 

negative  with,  55,  187. 
Or,  subject  not  made  plural  by,  15 ; 

misused  for  nor,  160. 
Order  of  parts  in  a  sentence,  32  ff., 

181,  182. 
"  Order  out  of  chaos,"  7. 
Organization    of    sentences,   30,   31, 

185 ;    of  whole  compositions,  62  ff . 
Ornament,    literary,    7;     in     hand- 
writing, 77. 
Other  or  else  in  than  or  as  clauses, 

53. 
Other  times,  160. 

Ought,  misuse  of  had  with,  160,  176. 
Our  Mutual  Friend,  the  title,  158. 
Ourselves,  for  we,  6. 
"  Out  loud,"  160. 
Outlines  for  compositions,  value  of, 

62,  63;   method  of  making,  121  ff. 
"  Outside  of,"  160. 
Overlapping  subordination,  47. 
*'  Over  with,"  160. 
''Overly,"  160. 

Pachyderm,  8. 

Pages,  manuscript,  arrangement  of, 
77;  numbering  of,  77;  in  letters, 
arrangement  of,  137,  order  in 
which  to  use,  137. 

Pair,  used  as  plural,  160. 

**  Pants,"  4. 


Paradise  Lost,  quoted,  18. 

Paragraphs,  78  ff. 

Parallelism  in  sentence-structure,  49 
ff.,  184 ;  misuse  of,  51,  52, 186 ;  util- 
ized in  organizing  long  sentences, 
30,  31,  185. 

Parenthesis  marks,  100;  antecedent 
of  a  pronoun  enclosed  in,  25 ;  fig- 
ures enclosed  in,  115. 

Parenthetic  matter,  set  off  by  com- 
mas, fK);  by  parenthesis  marks, 
100 ;  by  dashes,  99. 

Parenthetic  position  of  therefore^ 
however f  etc.,  35;  of  modifiers  in 
general,  34. 

Partake  of,  161. 

Participial  conclusions  in  letters,  134. 

Participial  phrases,  mistaken  for 
sentences,  12,  191,  192. 

Participle,  anachronous,  23;  dan- 
gling, 26,  27, 181 ;  preceded  immedi- 
ately by  too  or  very,  169. 

Parts  of  a  composition,  organization 
of,  64 ;  order  of,  62,  63  ;  misplacing 
of,  64;  coherence  between,  65,  6(i. 

Parts  of  speech,  errors  regarding 
(improprieties),  3,  4. 

Party,  161. 

Passive  voice,  20,  31-32. 

Past-perfect  tense,  past  misused  for, 
22. 

Past  tense,  indefinite  use  of,  22 ;  mis- 
used for  past-perfect,  22. 

"Peek,"  161. 

Per  (Latin  preposition),  161, 

Per  cent.,  4,  73,  161. 

Perfect  conditional  forms,  misused 
for  present,  23. 

Perfect  infinitives,  misused  for  pres- 
ent, 23. 

Period,  use  of,  90,  95. 

Person,  a,  concord  of,  15, 176. 

Phase,  161. 

Phenomena,  161. 

"  Phone,"  4. 

"Photo,"  4. 

Piano,  misuse  of,  161. 

Piece  for  distance,  1(51. 

"  Pigskin-chasers,"  8. 

Place ;  see  Any  place.  Every  place ^ 
No  place.  Some  place. 

Places,  used  as  adverb,  3. 

Plain  English,  remark  or-  9. 

"Plan  on,"  161. 


INDEX 


236 


please f  will  you  please  preferable  to, 
134. 

*'  Please  find  enclosed,"  134. 

**  Pleasing  manner,  in  a,"  6. 

Plenty,  4,  162. 

Pleonasm,  55,  58. 

Poe,  2. 

Poetic  diction,  9. 

Poetry  correct  method  of  putting, 
on  paper,  85,  S6. 

Point  of  view,  in  sentences,  31;  in 
whole  compositions,  61,  62. 

Poorly y  for  ill,  19. 

Portray,  162. 

Position  of  members  in  a  sentence, 
32  ff.,  181. 

Possessive  adjectives,  no  apostrophe 
with,  106. 

Possessive  case,  misuse  of,  18;  with 
gerunds,  18;  apostrophe  with,  106. 

Postage  stamp,  affixing  of,  142. 

Postal,  162. 

Posted,  162. 

Predicate  adjective  and  adverb,  rule 
concerning,  19. 

Predicate  substantive,  with  finite 
verb,  case  of,  17,  178;  with  infini- 
tive, case  of,  17, 178 ;  sentence  used 
as,  14;  when  or  where  clause  used 
as,  14 ;  verb  attracted  from  correct 
number  by,  15. 

"Prefer  than,"  162. 

Preposition,  case  of  object  of,  17; 
awkward  pause  after,  36 ;  ending  a 
sentence,  37 ;  repetition  of,  45 ;  in- 
correct omission  of:  time  modifi- 
ers, 40;  size,  166;  way,  170;  no 
use,  159. 

Present,  the  historical,  9 ;  participle, 
used  anachronously,  23. 

Pretentiousness  of  style,  produced  by 
high-flown  language,  9;  by  poetic 
diction,  9;  by  the  use  of  the  his- 
torical present,  9 ;  by  using  we  and 
the  writer  for  /,  10. 

**  Pretty  picture,  made  a,"  6. 

*'  Preventative,"  4. 

Principal  verbs,  use  of,  in  double 
capacity,  38. 

**  Privilege,  had  the,"  6. 

Pronouns,  misuses  of,  5-6;  reference 
of,  23ff.,  180. 

Pronunciation,  correct,  of  certain 
words  often  mispronounced,  219  £f. 


Proper  names,  capitals  with,  116, 117, 

195. 
Propose,  fov  purpose,  162. 
Proposition,  162. 
"  Proud  possessor,  the,**  7. 
''Proven,"  2,162. 
Proverbs,  hackneyed,  7. 
Providing,  for  provided,  162. 
Punctuation,  90  ff.,  191  ff. 
Put  in,  for  spend,  162. 
"  Put  in  an  appearance,"  162. 

Quality,  163. 

Question  mark,  98. 

Questions,  shall  and  will  in,  20,  21, 
180;  punctuation  of,  98,  102,  195. 

Quite,  163 ;  position  of,  32. 

''  Quite  a  few,"  163. 

"  Quite  a  little,"  163. 

Quotation  marks,  shape  of,  76 ;  uses 
of,  101  ff.,  108-109,  195. 

Quotations,  hackneyed,  7;  extended, 
position  of,  on  page,  87 ;  paragraph- 
ing of,  80  ff.,  195;  punctuation  of, 
101  ff.,  108-109,  195. 

Raise,  for  rear,  163 j  for  increase 
(noun),  163;  confounded  with  me, 
163,  173. 

Ran  and  run,  175. 

Rang  and  rung,  175. 

"Rarely  ever,"  163. 

Real,  used  as  adverb,  4, 163. 

Reason,  illogical  use  of,  164,  186. 

"  Recipient,  the,  of,"  6. 

Redundance:  tautology,  55;  pleo- 
nasm, 55;  wordiness,  55,  57. 

Reference  of  pronouns  and  pro- 
nominal expressions,  23  ff.,  180. 

Relative  clause,  position  of,  33-34, 
181-182;  *'  and  which," 41 ;  restrict- 
ive and  non-restrictive,  92,  193. 

**  Remember  of,"  164. 

Remote  reference  of  pronouns,  24. 

''Render  a  selection,"  etc.,  6. 

Rendition,  6. 

Repast,  6. 

Repetition,  of  words,  with  change  of 
meaning,  56;  awkward,  56;  awk- 
ward avoidance  of,  56 ;  of  the  con- 
junction that,  57;  of  prepositions, 
subordinating  conjunctions,  and 
the  infinitive-sign,  for  clearness. 
44  ff. 


236 


INDEX 


Replete,  6. 

Residence,  9. 

Restrictive  and  non-restrictive  modi- 
fiers, 92,  193. 

Retire,  9. 

Reverend  (title),  164. 

Rlietoric,  defined,  201;  distinguished 
from  grammar,  201. 

Rhetorical  ornament,  triteness  in,  6 
ff . ;  affectation  in,  9  ff . ;  mixed 
figures  of  speech,  11,  12. 

Big,  164. 

"  Right  away,"  "  right  off,"  164. 

Rise  and  raise,  163,  173. 

Rode  and  ridden,  175. 

Roman  numbers,  not  used  for  page 
numbers,  77 ;  shape  of,  77. 

Rose  and  risen,  175. 

Run,  for  ran,  175;  for  operate,  164. 

Ruskin,  2. 

**  Sadder,  but  wiser,"  7. 

Said,  as  in  "  he  said  to  come,"  165. 

Same,  used  as  a  pronoun,  134,  164; 
as  an  adverb,  164. 

Sane/  and  sung,  175. 

Sarcasm,  distinguished  from  irony, 
204. 

Say,  as  in  **  He  says  to  go  on,"  165. 

*'  Scantily  attired,"  8. 

Scarcely,  position  of,  32;  negatives 
incorrectly  used  with,  55, 187 ;  than, 
till,  and  until  incorrectly  used  with, 
168. 

Scare,  used  as  intransitive,  151. 

School,  for  college,  165. 

Search,  *'  in  search  for,"  165, 

See  and  saw,  174, 

"Seem,  can't,  or  couldn't,"  165. 

Seen,  for  saw,  174. 

**  Seldom  ever,"  ''seldom  or  ever," 
165. 

Selection,  misuse  of,  165. 

Semicolon,  95  ff.,  191  ff. 

Sentences,  defined,  209;  classified, 
209;  subordinate  elements  mis- 
taken for,  12,  191-192;  grammati- 
cally incomplete,  13;  used  as  sub- 
ject or  predicate  complement,  14; 
fundamental  grammatical  rules 're- 
garding, 14  ff.  ;  unity  of,  29  ff.  ; 
stringy,  29;  straggling,  30;  change 
of  point  of  view  in,  31 ;  arrangje- 
ment  of  members  of,  32  £f . ;  coor- 


dination and  subordination  in, 
41  if.;  parallelism  in,  49  ff.;  logi- 
cal agreement  among  members  of, 
53-54 ;  redundance  of  words  in,  55 ; 
repetition  of  words  in,  56-57;  eu- 
phony of,  58 ;  variety  in  structure 
of,  59;  transitional,  65. 

Sentinel,  hackneyed  figure  of 
speech,  6. 

Series,  dissimilar  elements  in  the 
form  of,  52;  punctuation  of: 
comma  before  the  conjunction,  92. 

Set  and  sit,  165,  174. 

Set,  used  as  plural,  160. 

Shall  and  will,  20-21,  180. 

Shape,  misuse  of,  165. 

Shifting  of  tense,  in  narration,  61, 
in  description ,  62 ;  of  point  of  view, 
in  sentences,  31,  in  whole  composi- 
tions, 61,  62. 

''Should  of,"  159. 

Show,  misuses  of,  165,  166. 

"  Show  up,"  166. 

Showy  language,  9;  synonyms,  57. 

"  Sight,  a,"  166. 

Simile,  incongruous,  11-12. 

Sit  and  set,  165,  174. 

Size,  used  as  adjective,  166. 

"  Size  up,"  166. 

Sleeper,  for  sleeping  car,  148. 

Smoker,  for  smoking  car,  148. 

Smoothness,  in  narration,  10 ;  in  sen- 
tence-order, 35-36. 

Snap,  16(). 

So  for  very,  166;  preferred  to  as, 
after  a  negative,  144;  incorrectly 
used  to  connect  verbs,  43;  exces- 
sive use  of,  for  compounding  sen* 
tences,  43;  punctuation  with,  when 
used  to  compound  sentences,  9(), 
193. 

So  habit,  the,  43,  184. 

"  Social  function,"  7. 

"  Solid,"  words  that  should  be  writ, 
ten,  73, 107 ;  words  incorrectly  writ, 
ten,  73. 

Some,  used  as  adverb,  4,  166. 

Some  one,  concord  of,  15,  176. 

"  Some  one  has  said,"  6. 

Some  place,  for  somewhere,  166. 

Somebody,  concord  of,  15,  176. 

"  Sort,  these  or  those,"  166. 

Sort  of,  im. 

"  Sought  his  downy  couch,"  6. 


INDEX 


237 


Space  in  Ms.,  between  lines,  73;  be- 
tween words,  73;  between  sen- 
tences, 74;  margins,  77. 

Spacing-out,  at  end  of  paragrapii,  78. 

Specie^  for  species,  166. 

Species,  correct  use  of,  166. 

''Specimen  of  humanity,"  6. 

Spelling,  rules  regarding,  and  exer- 
cises in  :  doubling  final  consonants, 

67,  187;  dropping  final  e,  67,  188; 
retaining  final  e,  67, 188;  change  of 
final  y  to  i,  68,  188;  of  final  ie  to  ?/, 

68,  188 ;  plurals  in  s  and  es,  68, 188 ; 
present  third  singulars  in  s  and  es, 
68, 188 ;  receive,  believe,  etc. ,  68, 189 ; 
principal  and  principle,  68,  191 ;  0 
and  o/i,  69;  adverbs  in  //?/,  188;  ly 
written  for  ally,  189 ;  the  endings  el 
and  le,  189;  the  adjective  ending 
ftd,  189;  the  adjective  ending  o?/s. 
189;  the  adverb  prefix  al,  189 
disappear  and  disappoint,  189 
professor,  189;  precede,  proceed, 
recede,  concede,  succeed,  and  super- 
sede, 190;  business,  190;  lose  and 
loose,  190;  lead  and  led,  190;  to,  too, 
and  two,  190;  accept  and  except, 
190;  q^ec^  and  effect,  191;  advise, 
advice,  devise  and  device,  192;  a 
list  of  words  often  misspelled,  69; 
general  exercise,  195. 

Split  infinitives,  35,  183. 

Sprang  and  sprung,  175. 

Squinting  modifiers,  34. 

iS^ari  for  begin,  166. 

*S«aH  ow^  166. 

Steal,  used  as  noun,  4. 

Stevenson,  2,  3. 

iS^2^Z,  punctuation  with,  96. 

Stop,  for  s^ay,  167. 

Straggling  sentences,  30. 

Strata,  167. 

Stringy  sentences,  29. 

Strong  close  of  a  sentence,  36. 

"  Struggling  mass  of  humanity,"  8. 

"  Student  body,  the,"  6. 

Subject,  illogical  use  of,  167. 

Subject,  of  a  verb,  case  of,  16,  177- 
178 ;  of  a  composition,  60. 

Subordinate  clause ;  see  Clauses. 

Subordinate  sentence-elements,  mis- 
taken for  sentences,  12,  191-192. 

Subordinating  conjunctions,  repeti- 
tion of,  for  clearness,  46. 


Subordination,  value  of,  in  composi- 
tion, 43;  exercise  in  securing  vari- 
ety of,  184;  overlapping,  47;  im- 
proper, by  means  of  whoi  clauses, 
48-49. 

Substantive  clause ;  see  Clauses. 

Substantives,  used  for  other  parts  of 
speech,  3;  other  parts  of  speech 
misused  for,  3-4. 

Such,  for  so,  167;  "  such  who,"  167; 
"such  so  that,"  167. 

Such  as,  punctuation  with,  107. 

Suicide,  used  as  a  verb,  3. 

Summer^ s  day,  9. 

Sums  of  money,  method  of  represent- 
ing, 114. 

"Sundown,"  167. 

"  Sunflower  State,"  7. 

"Sunup,"  167. 

"  Superior  than,"  167. 

Superlative,  the  of  phrase  limiting 
a,  54. 

Superscriptions  of  letters,  141-142. 

Suspicioii,  used  as  verb,  3. 

Swam  and  sioum,  175. 

Swell,  used  as  adjective,  167. 

Syllabication,  110  ff. 

Synonyms,  used  for  clear  reference, 
24;  objectionable  use  of,  57. 

t,  cross-stroke  of,  76. 

Tabulations,  indention  in,  87;  to  be 
set  apart  on  the  page,  88. 

Take,  for  study,  167. 

Take  in,  for  attend,  167. 

Take  it,  introducing  an  illustration, 
168. 

Take  stock  in,  168. 

Taste  in  literary  style,  7  ff. 

"  Tasty,"  4. 

Tautology,  55. 

Tawdry  English,  8. 

Team,  167. 

Tennyson,  30,  86,  103,  185. 

Tense,  shifting  of,  in  narration  and 
description, 61,  62 ;  see  also  Present, 
Past  tense,  Future  tense,  Perfect. 

Thackeray,  2. 

Than,  misuse  of,  with  superior  and 
inferior,  167 ;  with  prefer  and  pref- 
erable, 162;  with  hardly  and 
scarcely,  168 ;  case  of  a  substantive 
following,  17,  178;  clause  intro- 
duced by,  used  in  double  capacity, 


238 


INDEX 


38;  other  or  else  in,  53;  than 
whom,  18. 

That,  used  as  adverb,  168 ;  indefinite 
use  of,  5;  weak  reference  of,  24; 
conjunction,  careless  repetition  of, 
57;  clauses  introduced  by,  not  to 
be  preceded  by  comma,  94. 

That  is,  punctuation  witli,  107-108. 

**  That  there,"  168. 

Them,  used  as  adjective,  4. 

Then,  used  to  connect  verbs,  43; 
punctuation  with,  96,  193. 

Therefore,  position  of,  35;  punctua- 
tion with,  96,  193. 

**  These  here,"  168. 

**  These  kind,"  "  These  sort,"  155. 

They,  indefinite  use  of,  5. 

This,  used  as  adverb,  168;  weak  ref- 
erence of,  24. 

"This  here,"  168. 

Those,  indefinite  use  of,  5. 

*'  Those  kind,"   "  those  sort,"  155. 

*'  Those  present,"  6. 

"  Those  there,"  168. 

**  Those  with  whom  we  come  in  con- 
tact," 7. 

Through,  misuse  of,  168. 

"Throwed,"  175. 

Thus,  participles  preceded  by,  27; 
punctuation  with,  96,  193. 

"  Tie  the  knot,"  8. 

Till,  for  when,  after  hardly  or 
scarcely,  169. 

Times,  used  as  adverb,  3. 

*Tis,  in  prose,  9. 

Titles,  of  persons,  not  to  be  abbre- 
viated, in  general,  113,  which  are 
properly  abbreviated,  113,  when 
capitalized,  116;  of  compositions, 
elliptical  clauses  in,  28,  composi- 
tion to  begin  coherently,  regardless 
of,  65,  position  of,  on  the  page,  77, 
not  to  be  quoted,  104;  of  literary 
and  artistic  works  in  general,  prin- 
cipal words  in,  to  be  capitalized,  117, 
to  be  italicized,  118,  initial  the  in, 
when  included,  when  excluded,  118. 

To,  in  as  to,  in  regard  to,  etc.,  used 
in  double  capacity,  39-40. 

Toadstool,  169. 

Together  with,  subject  not  made 
plural  by,  15. 

Too,  preceding  a  participle,  169. 

Topic,  illogical  use  of,  169,  186. 


Tore  and  torn,  175. 

Transitional  sentences,  65;  para- 
graphs, 80. 

Transitive  verbs  misused  as  intransi- 
tive ;  see  Hustle,  Locate,  Set,  Lay, 
Raise,  Frighten,  Scare. 

Transpire,  169. 

Transposition  in  Ms.,  89. 

"  Treat  on,"  ''  treat  with,"  for  treat 
of,  169. 

Trend,  169. 

Trite  expressions,  6. 

*' Try  and,"  169» 

'  Twos,  9. 

Ugly,  169. 

Unauthorized  words,  4. 

Uncompleted  comparisons,  41. 

Undated  past  tense,  22. 

Underhanded,  169. 

Ungrammatical  coordination,  41. 

Uniting  of  expressions  properly  writ- 
ten as  separate  words,  73. 

Unity,  of  sentences,  29  ff. ;  of  whole 
compositions,  69  ff.  ;  of  para- 
graphs, 83. 

Until,  for  when,  169. 

"  Untiring  efforts,"  6. 

Up,  combined  with  certain  verbs,  169. 

Up  to  date,  170. 

Upside-down  subordination,  49. 

Usage,  good,  1  ff. 

Variety  of   subordination,  value  of. 

43,   exercise  in  securing,   184;    of 

sentence-structure,  59. 
*'  Variety,  the  spice  of  life,"  4. 
Verbs,  misused   as  nouns,   4;  other 

parts  of  speech  misused  as,  3,  4; 

.agreement    of,   with    subjects,   14 

Verse,  arrangement  of,  on  the  page, 
84,  86. 

Very,  preceding  participles,  170. 

••  Vim,"  3,  170. 

Violin,  misuse  of,  170. 

Viz.,  punctuation  with,  107-108;  pro- 
nunciation of,  225. 

Vocal,  used  as  noun,  4,  170. 

Vocatives,  punctuation  with,  90. 

Voice,  misuse  of,  170. 

Wait  on,  for  wait  for,  170. 

"  Waited  in  breathless  suspense,"  7. 


INDEX 


239 


"  Want  I  should  go,"  and  similar  ex- 
pressions, 170. 

*'  Want  in"  and  similar  expressions, 
170. 

Way,  for  aioay,  170;  used  adverbi- 
ally without  a  preposition,  170. 

Ways,  used  as  singular,  170. 

We,  for  /,  10;  the  editorial,  10-11. 

Weak  reference  of  this  and  that,  24. 

Well,  colloquial,  170. 

*'  Wended  his  way,"  6. 

Went  and  gone,  175. 

When,  misuse  of,  170;  clause  intro- 
duced by,  used  as  predicate  com- 
plement, 14,  used  to  embody  a 
statement  of  primary  importance, 
48,  49. 

Where,  for  that,  171;  clause  intro- 
duced by,  used  as  predicate  com- 
plement, 14. 

"Where  to,"  171. 

Which,  applied  to  persons,  171. 

While,  misuse  of,  171. 

Who,  applied  to  animals,  171;  used 
for  lohom,  17,  177,  178;  whom  used 
for,  16,  177,  178. 

Whole  compositions,  unity  of,  59  ff. ; 
organization  of,  62  ff.;  coherence 
of,  65  ff. 

Whose,  171. 


Will  and  shall,  20-21,  180. 

"  Win  out,"  171. 

"Windy  City,  the,"  7-8. 

Wire,  misuse  of,  3,  171. 

With,  subject  not  made  plural  by,  15. 

Woods,  used  as  singular,  171. 

Word-breaking ;  see  Syllabication. 

Wordiness,  55,  57. 

Words,  used  in  double  capacity,  37 

ff.;    repetition    of,    44    ff.,   56-67; 

pronunciation  of,  219  ff.;  see  also 

Diction, 
Would  better,  would  best,  171. 
Would  have,  for  had,  171. 
"  Would  liked,"  156. 
"  Would  of,"  171. 
Would  rather,  171. 
"  Write  up,"  171. 
Writer,  the,  for  /,  10. 
Writing  materials,  77,  137, 
Wrote  and  ivritteii,  175. 

X,  crossing  of,  76. 

You,  used  indefinitely,  5. 

"You  was,"  171,  176. 

"Yours,"  ''yours   received,"  in  let 

ters,  133. 
Yourself,   yourselves,  for  you,  6. 
"  Yourself  and  family,"  6. 


YC 


